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XLbc ZCraneGreeeor 

(Published Anonymously) 

anD 

®tber Storiee 

* * * 

SHOWING THE EFFECTS OF LIQUOR UPON 
SOCIETY; AND ITS COALITION 
OF EVIL SEQUALAE 

^ ^ ^ 


By 

A. DeFOREST WHITE. Jr. 

i' .f 4t . 

Author of “ Criminological Deduction,” “ Ethical Magnetism,” 
” Preordained Destiny,” etc. 

* * * 

With illustrations by 

LOUIS A. PLOGSTED 

* * 

Zbc fntcr-State probtbUton pubHsbina 
association 


1009 




Copyright, 1909, 

By The Inter-vState Prohibition Publishing Association. 


All rights reserved. 


The Hammond Press, 

Buffalo. N. Y. 


LIBRARY Of CONGRESS 
Two CoDies Received 


JUL 2 



Tnfr«ducfi«H 


In the compilation of this book, the editors have care- 
fully avoided what might be considered to be mere Temper- 
ance harangues ; and have attempted to present only such 
stories as will likely prove of interest to the general reader. 

By a perusal of these stories, one cannot fail to appreci- 
ate the fact that trifles are often the cause of much misery 
and hardship ; and that these trifles are often of liquor- 
created origin. 

Take, for instance, the story “Coalescence.” Had it 
not been for the intoxicated condition of Robert Harris, it 
is hardly likely that he would have struck his former boon- 
companion; the suspicions which followed would then never 
have resulted; flight to the West would have been useless; 
—this story of a blighted, unhappy life, would never have 


INTRODUCTION 


transpired ! And so it goes; history but repeats itself ! 

\ 

This is but one case of thousands — millions. 

In the publication of ‘ ‘ The Transgressor, ’ ’ we are cog- 
nizant of the fact that it is not a pleasant subject; but we 
offer no apologies for its presentation, as this question is 
one of the most important now before the American People. 

The Y. M. C. A. and the churches are yearly spending 
thousands of dollars in conducting lectures known as 
“ Talks to Young Men ” — in attempting to impress our 
Youth with the horrible consequences of the present-day 
immorality. 

Should thousands of helpless mites be born into this 
world, crippled and sightless, because of a false modesty of 
an unknowing and unthinking Public? Or should this 
subject be given thorough publicity, and all possible means 
taken to prevent its continuance ? We think it should ! 

Every mother would do well to place this story in the 
hands of her son. If he is old enough to comprehend its 
meaning— he is old enough to receive its lesson ! 

THE EDITORS. 



Explanation 

lOIIItt — Prohibition. 

Black — License. 

Shaded— Partly Prohibition. 






















Conteiit$ 

PAGE 

“ The Transgressor,” 17 

‘ ‘ Coalescence, ’ ' 39 

” Cupid or Cupidity,” 67 

“The Shyster,” 79 


” Circumstantial Evidence,” 


105 




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TllnstratioHs 


“ The majority of crime ... is perpetrated 

after midnight,” .... Frontispiece 

Map showing the growth of Prohibition, Page 1 1 

Far away to the left, the white-capped 

Rockies — .... Facing page 39 

A novel lay upon her lap — 

” Well, I can spare a few minutes — ” 

A death-like stillness of gloom and depres- 
sion — 


73 v/ 
80 




III 



ClK transgrmor 

Published Anonymously 

The massive Convention Hall was packed to overflow- 
ing. It was noticeable that the audience was largely 
composed of what is termed the “better element”; numer 
ous women were scattered, here and there, throughout the 
vast assemblage, prominent among whom were to be 
seen those wearing the badge of the W. C. T. U. ; while 
“marching clubs” and other organizations that proclaim 
a political meeting, were everywhere in evidence. 

Prolonged and vociferous applause greeted the next 
speaker, the Hon. James Carrington. When this had 
somewhat subsided, he slowly raised his hand with a 
silencing gesture. As if by magic, the audience, control- 
led by his almost mesmeric influence, settled into a state 
of silent expectancy. 

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “it is, indeed, a 
pleasure for me to be able to address you this evening. I 


18 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


am, unfortunately, not blessed with the oratorical graces ; 
but what I may thus lack, I hope to equalize by a clear 
presentation of incontrovertible facts, showing the enor- 
mity of the evils which follow in the wake of the liquor 
traffic. 

“There is, today, considerable antipathy held, by a cer- 
tain portion of our population, toward the Civic League. 
I do not propose to enter into a lengthy discussion as to 
what I consider its merits ; but I do wish to call your at- 
tention to these specific facts : 

“The majority of crime, due to liquor, is perpetrated 
after rhidnight. The average man, even though he may 
freely imbibe, does not usually become intoxicated before 
that time. Then again, the criminally-inclined saloon 
elements, owing to the number of people who are about 
earlier in the evening, dare not attempt those crimes — of 
which assault, and the robbing of unsuspecting inebriates, 
are the most petty and common. The Civic League aims, 
primarily, to close the saloons at midnight! 

“You have, doubtless, heard many persons proclaim 
that Prohibition is “unconstitutional” ; that one should 
not wish to be his “brother’s keeper”; and make other 
such pusilanimous remarks, in an attempt to sanctify 
their statements, and befog the situation. 

“Prohibitional is not unconstitutional — the highest 
Court in the United States has so ruled ! But if it were. 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


19 


we should amend the Constitution : — we had to do so 
in ’65! 

“What is the object of Law — other than for the pro- 
tection of the individual by the majority? Laws have 
to be created to meet the existing exigencies; but the 
cause must exist, before the law becomes necessary. 
Then, the cause must be recognized before the people 
will act, and demand proper legislation to compel its sup- 
pression. This explains why there is not already a law 
against the use of alcoholic beverages — as there is 
against opium, cocaine, and other poisons — except as 
medicine. 

“The Speed Ordinances of today — in this age of the 
Automobile — could not have been apprehended fifty 
years ago, when horses were the usual means of travel. 

“Should not the mentally strong protect the mentally 
weak? Should not the Right predominate over the 
Wrong? Would you, in your maturity, censure or chide 
your parents for having restrained you in your undevel- 
oped youth, from doing those things which they, with 
their superior wisdom, knew were harmful? Because 
criminals would commit robbery and murder, should we 
stand neutrally by, and allow them ‘Personal Liberty’ — 
to do as they please? Does not the man who says: ‘Oh 
I know when to stop ; I take a glass once in a while, but 
it never harms me any; let others do as they please’ — 


20 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


doesn’t he owe it to the starving children, to the misery- 
marked wives, to society at large; as a brother, as a 
father, as a citizen; — to forget his personal feelings, and 
unite for the common good in the annihilation of this 
great evil? 

“I will let you answer these questions yourselves!” 

An unrestrained applause broke from the assembled 
multitude. For several moments the speaker was unable 
to continue. 

“There are, I am sorry to say,” he proceeded, “many 
men who would fight valiantly for the honor of their 
own sister, but who would not hesitate in stooping to 
wrong another man’s sister. And so it is with the 
liquor question ! As long as this condition of the mere 
personal exists ; as long as one thinks only of himself, 
and not of his neighbor; — ‘Old Glory’ will wave over a 
land that \s free in name only; over a Nation harboring 
a greater slavery than that which preceded Lincoln : her 
gilded tassels tarnished by the rum-laden atmosphere; 
soiled and besmirched with the mire of polluted corrup- 
tion; unfurled before a people whose only thought is 
gold, and self!” 

Again was he answered by fervent and long-contin- 
ued cheers; which subsided only after the band had 
struck up a lively air, to drown the din. 

“You have, probably, heard remarked that ‘Prohibition 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


21 


doesn’t prohibit’; and that more cases of drunkenness 
are to be seen in ‘dry’ towns than in ‘wet.’ 

“Of course, where Prohibition-towns are surrounded 
by territory wherein liquor may be secured, it is prac- 
tically impossible to prevent a certain amount of the 
stuff being smuggled into ‘dry’ domains. State-wide 
Prohibition, however, with proper inforcement of the 
law — conclusively proves that Prohibition does prohibit! 

“Veteran drinkers, who rabidly crave intoxicants, are 
often willing to go many miles to satisfy their appe- 
tites. Naturally, these men, returning from their sprees 
in ‘wet’ districts, are more in evidence than those in- 
ebriates living in ‘licensed’ towns, who stealthily slink 
'homeward through unfrequented back-streets. But 
this hardly demonstrates that there is anything ap- 
proaching the amount of intemperance in the ‘dry’, as in 
the ‘wet’ sections I 

“The brewers, now realizing their soon-to-arrive 
downfall, are vainly attempting to ward off the Inevi- 
table by a gigantic, hocus-pocus of hypocracy! Know- 
ing that certain ‘clergymen’, as well as thieves, have 
their ‘price’, they are offering — no one knows how 
enormous! — sums to ‘preachers of reknown (?), high 
(?) standing, and famous (?) reputation’, for their 
services as surplice-disguised, anti-temperance-campaign 
haranguers. Every little while, we are favored by a bit 


22 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


of oratory (?) delivered by one of these God-fearing (?), 
justive-loving (?), gentleman (?) of the Cloth; — 
insulting the intelligence of the American people! by 
imagining that we don’t realize their object! 

“I recently overheard a prominent politician declare 
to his companion : ‘The Hell of it is ! that this Prohibi- 
tion business seems to stick! You’ll notice that where 
they once have gone ‘dry,’ they invariably — with oc- 
casional short intermissions of ‘wet’ — return to Prohibi- 
tion.’ 

“He was right ! — Prohibition is not an ‘ephemeral wave 
of fanaticism’, as some would wish us to believe. 

“There has been enough already said, by many, more 
gifted than myself, regarding the ill-effects due to liquor. 
I am going to tell you a story tonight, that was related to 
me by a well-known physician ; which forcibly shows how 
easy it is, with the prevalent condition of affairs, for a 
practically innocent, thoughtless, young man, to be 
drawn into the net of liquor-created wickedness — never 
to escape its meshes ! 

“I feel that I am justified in speaking plainly, as it is 
of a subject which deserves more than ordinary atten- 
tion; and cannot be otherwise expressed. I shall use 
fictitious names, but will attempt to tell the facts verba- 
tim. 

“Late one evening, four young men were sitting 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


23 


together within a fashionable club-house, in one of our 
large cities. Three of them were anxious to explore the 
town, for excitement. The fourth, a newly-married young 
fellow, was loath to go, and reluctantly held back. 
Finally, one of the number spoke up, attempting to 
cajole him into joining them : 

“ ‘Now that your wife is away you can surely be one 
of the boys again ; she can’t expect you to remain in 
“solitary confinement” when she’s away, can she?’ he 
queried. 

“ ‘Be game ; come on’, they chorused. 

“Will Davis hesitated before answering. ‘After all,’ 

he thought, ‘what harm, and yet ’ But that *yeV 

stuck hard. 

“The time was not long past when he had been the 
leader of those nocturnal revelries which follow the 
game of cards at the Club. But, somehow, the thought 
of a pure, innocent and trusting little blue-eyed girl at 
home, had completely altered this dark and dashing cava- 
lier. He no longer cared for the society of frivilous 
women; he rarely desired to pass the evening at the 
Club ; his companions of the past he invariably shunned. 
But tonight — it was different. ‘I have nowhere to go’, 
he reflected. ‘Home without Mary is as lonely as 
Klondike. What harm if I take a little stroll with the 
boys ?’ 


24 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


“They noticed his hesitation ; they knew his weakness. 

“ ‘Come on Bill !’ coaxed his friend James Roberts. 

“Again he hesitated and — was lost! 

“From the Club, to various places where liquor is pro- 
curable, they aimlessly strolled. Unaccustomed to its 
overuse, it was not long before they began to show the 
affects of its indulgence. For several hours, they con- 
tinued their journey ; until, at last, well under the 
influence of liquor, they found themselves upon a lonely 
street, in a very unsavory district. 

“They entered between two swinging doors, into one 
of those dens of vice where business is never carried on 
in the open, but is always conducted behind inscrutible 
screens. 

“The inevitable bar confronted their gaze ; while around 
the room, in great profusion, stood numerous card-playing 
and drinking tables. 

“They were ushered towards a rear compartment, from 
whence issued a blatant, discordant, piano-thumping and 
violin-scraping noise — intended as music. They were met 
by a collarless waiter, and conducted to one of many 
tables; around which sat men and women of various 
types and conditions. Self-made introductions quickly 
followed. 

“Many young girls were to be seen — just budding into 
womanhood, who seemed wildly anxious to attract atten- 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


25 


tion ; who burned with a feverish hilarity, and appeared 
to be forever expostulating with the waiters relative to 
the price of ‘refreshments \ 

“A dull-red light diffused the room. Gaudy, lewd 
pictures adorned the walls. The odor of stale cigarette- 
smoke, intermingled with that of cheap liquor, pervaded 
the apartment, creating a torpid dullness of the brain. 
There were a few young bloods of dashing appearance 
who had been caught in the dazzling snare of licentious- 
ness and seemed strangely out of place in their present 
enviornments. There were others, distinguishable — by a 
protrusion and glassiness of eye, a sullen, emotionless 
mannerism, and paleness of complexion — as regular hab- 
itues of dens of vice. Others, possessed of coarse, brutaj 
visage, and thick, sensual lips; — reeling, inarticulate. 
Others, whose eyes were bloodshot; who wildly stared 
into vacancy, or gazed long and thoughtfully at their 
liquor; whose countenances were of a yellowish-white 
color; and who appeared apparently oblivious of the 
presence of those about them. Others, who walked with 
a certain mechanical rigidity of step, but could not 
control the twitching of their fingers. Still others, with 
hawk-like eyes — deep-set and crafty — flashing from 
countenances — every expression of which was cruel and 
repulsive. 


26 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


“Davis noticed that a policeman cautiously appeared at 
a side door; saw him beckon to a man standing nearby, 
and noticed that they held a hurried consultation. The 
lights were soon dimmed; men were placed as sentinels 
at the various entrances ; the inmates were informed that 
the ‘Inspectors were on the job’, and warned to be quiet ; 
while the ‘orchestra’ was commanded to cease its playing. 

“He then turned his attention to those who sat around 
the table consigned to himself and his friends; and who 
lounged with their arms sprawled over the table, nimbly 
toying their wine-glasses, and ever and anon giving vent 
to an obscene joke. 

“He looked at the woman at his side, — an un- 
deniable beauty of apparent good birth and refinement, 
with a complexion as of rose-colored velvet, and an in- 
terior — filled with filth ! 

He very soon forgot all else; — home, wife and honor, 
but sank into evanescent oblivion. He grew dull, dizzy; 
be became enchained. His brain reeled ; he sank back in 
his chair, cognizant only of a throbbing sensation in his 
head; and was soon enticed away and put to bed in a 
room above.” 

The speaker paused, momentarily; then again con- 
tinued: 

“He awoke, toward sunrise, with a start: — the effects 
of his drugged liquor having quickly passed off ; leaving 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


27 


him weak and nauseated. For a moment he lay there 
still ; inarticulate ; trying to recall his senses. All was in 
a whirl ! He could not think — nor remember. But, of a 
sudden, bit by bit, his failing memory brought back to 
his mind reminiscences of the night before. Even in this 
state of lethargy, fear and trepidation overtook him. 

“ ‘Wh — where am I ?’ he fairly screamed. 

“At that instant, steps were heard upon the stairs. 
Hastily jumping out of bed he grabbed his clothing and 
attempted to dress before the arrival of their early 
visitors. 

“His efforts were futile, however, for at that instant 
the sound of an officer’s nightstick struck loudly upon the 
panel of their door, its discordant intonations reverberat- 
ing through the air and striking terror to his heart. 

“ ‘Open ! — in the name of the Law’, spoke the voice. 

“Will immediately recognized the voice as belonging 
to a certain Captain of Police with whom he was ac- 
quainted. ‘Thank God that he is som^eone I know and 
can fix,’ he mentally ejaculated. 

“ ‘Open !’ the voice repeated. Despite the protests of 
the publican. Will succeeded in unlocking and unbarring 
the door, only to be peremptorily seized and placed under 
arrest. 

“ ‘My God ! I’m glad it’s you. Captain,’ cried he. 

“And why?’ queeried the officer. 


28 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


“ ‘Why — well ! — for God’s sake Captain, you aren’t 
going to place me under arrest? Think of my position; 
a member of the Bar, a wife ’ 

“‘That’s just it!’ interrupted the officer. ‘I see no 
excuse for you — a married man of your standing, in such 
a place as this I’ 

“ ‘Why Captain, I never could face such charges in a 
court-room.’ 

“‘Well, Mr. Davis, its my experience that what men 
can’t face they have to stomach. Come on now, hurry 
up !’ 

“ ‘Captain, may I speak to you privately for a moment?’ 

“ ‘Damme, no I I don’t speak privately with my prison- 
ers; especially when I know that their object is to bribe 
me. You’re on the wrong beat !’ 

“The morning papers came out with glaring headlines 
fully detailing the raid of the night before. Owing to the 
prominence of Will Davis, he was made to bear the brunt 
of the combined attacks of the different dailies. 

“I quote in part from an editorial which appeared in 
the Commercial: 

“ ‘While it is to be greatly regretted that certain 
bachelors are willing to take the appalling chances of 
such promiscuousness, to say nothing of the extreme 
degeneracy to which they degrade themselves, yet it is 
as nothing when compared with the wilfull criminal negli- 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


29 


gence of a married man, when he openly defies the laws 
of both God and Man, thus endangering the health — yes, 
even the lives — of his wife and posterity. We firmly 
believe that, for such, only the tar-and-feather is fit 
punishment. Knowing Mr. Pratt as well as we do, we 
feel confident that he will refuse to allow his daughter to 
resume marital relations with any such absolute de- 
generate as Mr. Davis has proven himself to be. Surely 
he owes it to the community — as a gentleman and father 
— to see that they are separated — durante vita. ’ 

“When Will returned to his home, after having been 
duly tried, convicted and fined fifty dollars in Morning 
Court, he was met by his aged and benevolent-minded 
father. Tear-stained cheeks and red-colored eyes plainly 
told how the news had affected him. ^ 

“After his son’s recital of the story — from beginning 
to end — the old gentleman exclaimed : 

“ T believe you Will ! But how could you have placed 
yourself in such a position? The news has completely 
staggered mother. She was obliged to take to her bed — 
this has proven too much for her.’ 

“The strain by this time had completely unnerved Will. 
He now broke down, and, for the first time in years, gave 
vent to his suppressed emotion by a copious flow of tears. 
It was several minutes before he found tongue to answer. 


30 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


“ ‘Father’, he wailed, ‘I am the most unhappy man in 
the world ! I would do anything, undergo anything, 
rather than cause you or mother one hour of such un- 
happiness as this ! To be able to recall the acts of last 
night — I would give up anything I ever had, or ever will 
possess ! I only hope that Mary will forgive me ! 

“For a moment his father did not answer. His eyes 
took on a cold expression from which Will irrepressibly 
shrank. 

“ ‘It is useless to say. Will’, he then exclaimed, ‘that 
you will have to pay the penalty — and forfeit Mary. 
Even if she were willing to return to you, her father 
would not permit it. You must see ’ 

“ ‘For God’s sake, something must be done to prevent 
our separation !’ he cried. ‘I never can give up Mary ; 
— why life wouldn’t be worth living without her! All 
heaven ’ 

“ ‘Well you should have thought of that before’, the old 
gentleman interrupted. ‘It is useless to think of an 
immediate reconcilliation. As your father, and as a 
gentleman, I could not permit it at present.’ 

“Will was too completely overcome to make answer 
Seeing which, his father continued : 

“ ‘I cannot understand how you could have fallen so 
low as to seek entertainment in such a vile hole as that. 
You seemed so happy with Mary! I can’t understand 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


31 


you — but still I am sorry for you — my heart bleeds for 
you. Think what this affair will mean to you — social 
ostracism — business gone to the dogs ; while ’ 

“ ‘Father, for Heaven’s sake spare me this ! — I can stand 
no more ! My heart is broken !’ 

“He threw up his hands ; then sank upon his knees, and 
in piteous tones of supplication and appeal, cried : 

“ ‘O ! Great God, hear my prayer — teach Mary to for- 
give me — to continue to love me. Oh ! Mary, my love, — 
my ’ 

“He could go no further, but sank back, in a full faint, 
into — his father’s arms. 

“Six months passed by. I will not bore you with de- 
tails : — I believe you will understand without ! 

“ ‘Your only possible hope now is Hot Springs, 
Arkansas.’ The Doctor was speaking, his words and 
tones were those of utter contempt. 

“‘My God! has it come to that?’ almost wailed Mr. 
Davis. •' 

“ ‘Yes, the complication of your troubles has hindered 
either cure, owing to the confliction of the remedies em- 
ployed — one medicine counteracting the effect of the 
other. I will give you a letter to Dr. Harris, who will 
give you the very best treatment possible while you are 
there. The greatest fear I now entertain is the possibility 
of your losing your eyesight. Already your left eye has 


32 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


developed iritis. Should this condition increase, and 
your other eye become affected likewise, it would mean — 
well I don’t wish to cause you unnecessary agitation — 
but your case is very serious, and will not brook of delay. 
You had better start at once.’ 

“ ‘But, Doctor, I can’t afford such a trip ! My stay at 
the hospital has used up my ready cash and — ’ 

“ ‘Mr. Davis, I have given you the best medical advice 
possible, according to my belief — and the only advice I 
coiild conscientiously give you. I am your Doctor, not 
your Banker. Of course, I know nothing relative to 
your pecuniary affairs. But, if you value your life, you 
had better borrow enough money to defray your ex- 
penses, and leave as soon as possible.’ 

“Anyone having seen Will limp out of the office that 
bleak December day, would have failed to recognize the 
forlorn, anaemic, emaciated wreck, as the stalwart, happy, 
and robust young hercules of six months past; but had 
they been able to read the abject misery and anguish ex- 
pressed within his eyes, they would have drawn back in 
horror and prayed to be spared from any such affliction. 

“Another three months passed by. 

“He sat within a great arm chair; the sulphurous and 
balmy air of the Springs gently cooled his fevered brow. 
Long had he sat, awaiting the arrival of the only soul he 
knew to comfort him in his dire misery — a trim little 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


33 


Irish maid, named Helen. All else shrank from him as 
from a leper — and well they might ! 

“A burning, ravenous fever oppressed him ; where once 
had rested a crop of dark curly hair, now only a few 
streaks remained to remind him of the past. The odor 
of carbolic acid and iodoform filled his nostrils ; sick- 
ened, nauseated him. 

“As the time increased, so his despair increased; be- 
came unbearable. He tried to rise, but his weakened 
body forbade exertion. He sank back, prone, prostrat- 
ed. 

“He thought of the past; of his wife; of his mother; 
of his hopes ; of his ambitions. How happy he had been ! 
He dared not think, lest he should go mad! 

“But out of the gloom which surrounded him, there 
arose the vision — uppermost, all-pervading — of one whom 
he could not forget — his wife, Mary. The more he tried 
to forget — the more sure he was to remember. How he 
had loved her! But now — all that was past; and in its 
stead, all was horror, misery — unspeakable ; unthinkable ; 
unknowable. A stifled cry of anguish broke from his 
lips — a cry of such hopelessness and sorrow as never 
could be forgotten. 

“ ‘How late Helen is in coming,’ he inwardly mused. 
‘It’s been dark for two hours already. I can’t understand 


34 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


her tardiness ; she should have been here an hour ago at 
least!’ 

“He gathered strength, and arising, staggered towards 
his medicine chest — for the pain over his eyes was be- 
coming intense ; unbearable. Having procured a sedative, 
he hobbled back to his chair. 

“For a while he sat in silence; brooding; deep in 
thought. At last he could stand it no longer — his 
thoughts found utterance. 

“ ‘Oh I God’, he cried. ‘What have I done to thus de- 
serve this curse? To have her, whom I cherished more 
than life itself, thus taken from my bosom? To be thus 
deprived of hope, of joy, of pleasure — and all that man 
holds dear? And all for what? — One thoughtless, drunk- 
en act I’ 

“‘Oh Heaven! what have I come to?’ His voice had 
taken on a tone as though it came from the depths of a 
grave. ‘Even the dogs bark at me as I pass along. O ! 
for death to rid me of this damned existence. . Who 
should miss me if I go? — No one! Oh! that I might lot 
sink — sink ever lower — down to the very depths of Hell !’ 

“He lay back — exhausted; his hands opening and 
closing; as he clutched vainly, uncontrollably, at the emp- 
tiness of the air. He no longv^r was fully sane; the in- 
tensity of his despair, and the effect of his retrospection, 
had completely befuddled his brain. 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


35 


“He aroused himself — his whole being became electri- 
fied; animated. ‘What was that?’ he ejaculated. Far 
down the street, he heard the familiar strains of the Presi- 
dents March — the same tune to which his regiment had 
marched when he had returned a happy and proud Lieu- 
tenant in ’98. 

“As, the strains of music wafted nearer — ever nearer — 
he became as one possessed. He forgot himself — his con- 
dition. Once more, was he the gallant, dashing lieuten- 
ant of the past. He arose as if controlled by some hid- 
den, unseen power, and walking to the window, drew the 
sash and listened — spellbound. 

“As the sound of the music faintly, more faintly, drifted 
into distant uncertainty, his departed senses were once 
again brought back to the present. 

“His reactive mind lashed him into a fury — into such 
an intensity of despair as words can never portray! He 
struck a match, intending to ascertain the time. He 
heard the responding sizzle, felt the Warmth beneath his 
fingers — but saw nothing ! 

“For a moment, he became rigid; chilled to the heart; 
then staggered, and fell to the floor; prone, delirious. 
His mind wandered; — he saw himself at home; — Mary at 
his side; — his mother languidly reading the evening pa- 
per; — his father smoking near the hearth; — then — then 
his mind returned and he became himself again. 


36 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


“‘My God’, he cried, ‘has it come to this? Has every 
vestige of hope been taken from me?’ 

“Then in a voice expressing horror unspeakable, he 
continued : 

“ ‘I, who am cursed and damned by all Creation, have 
nothing left to live for ! Curtailed of all hope, ambition 
and honor, I will — take my life ! Oh God, Thou still may 
have me in Thy power — throughout eternity — but at least 
I can end this earthly life ! I ask no forgiveness for this 
act from Thee, oh God ; for I do not wish to die a coward ! 
So, when I disobey Thy commands, I do so expecting no 
mercy — no pity. I only pray Thee, that Mary may be 
given heart to forgive me! But, oh just and merciful 
God, I place myself in Thy hands — do Thou with me as 
You will!’ 

“A shot rang out upon the stillness of his chamber. He 
fell backward, with a bullet through his temple; q'dvered, 
and spoke one word — ‘Mary’! Then the hideous death- 
rattle, and again all was quiet.” 

The speaker paused. The audience, temporarily hush- 
ed by the harrowing dreadfulness of the narrative, sat 
silently awaiting his next words. 

“Believe me, ladies and gentlemen,” he continued, “this 
is but one case of thousands — yes, probably, tens of thou- 
sands! — that transpire yearly; in this, a God-fearing, 
Christian, country! 




V r <■ 


THE TRANSGRESSOR 


37 


“Are we going to stand idly by and let Liquor throttle 
us; and tread us under foot; or are we going to use onr 
God-given power, and obliterate this curse? 

“ This, ladies and gentlemen, is the question P* 

















V 


!• 






Coalncenct 


Far away to the left, the white-capped Rockies loomed 
ominously, as though placed as sentinels to guard the 
vast sweep of prairies from unseen foes. Great, massive 
trees stood close at hand ; their giant branches gently 
swaying with the morning breeze, and causing the air to 
fill with sounds resembling the swish of a woman’s gown. 
The weather-beaten door of the shack creaked mourn- 
fully as it swung upon its hinges in response to the or- 
ders of the wind. At a distance, the continual buz-huz 
of a “ripper” proclaimed that the men were already at 
work, and that the saw-mill was again in operation. 

Within the lonely and dejected-looking shack, all was 
in disorder. The chairs, the rickety table, the sawdust 
“spit-box”, everything — stood about in forlorn and com- 
fortless confusion, clearly showing that no woman’s pres- 
ence had ever graced the place. Faint rays of light 


40 


COALESCENCE 


fought to force their way through the long-unwashed, 
dust-covered pane of the one window that faced the near- 
by forest. An almost pathetic attempt had been made to 
adorn the dingy walls with a few well-chosen magazine 
and newspaper pictures. The odor of stale tobacco- 
smoke, intermingled with that caused by the drying of 
wet boots by stove-heat, polluted the atmosphere. 

In a corner, upon a foul-smelling bunk that was built 
well into the wall, a ragged quilt partly covered the form 
of a man, whose grizzled, unkempt hair and beard gave 
an appearance of added hoariness to the worn, weary 
face — that was marked by lines of struggle and suffer- 
ing. In his hollow, deep-set eyes there shone a look of 
intelligence that seemed strangely out of place in that 
miserable abode. 

Close to this wretched bed, sat a broad-shouldered, 
dark-eyed, deep-voiced young mountaineer; a giant in 
stature and strength; of the kind that as fighters are 
lions; but as friends are lambs. In spite of the lonely 
surroundings and the dark, coarse woolen shirt, there 
was something singularly attractive in his handsome, 
boyish face. He glanced over his shoulder, and, seeing 
that he was unnoticed, drew forth a travel-stained letter. 
A bright flush of happiness stole over his face as he 
slowly deciphered the lengthly, closely-written pages; 
then as quickly died away, at the sound of a low moan. 


COALESCENCE 


41 


“Don’t ye feel any better, Judge?’’ he asked, breaking 
the silence. The older man slowly turned his head from 
facing the wall, his eyes blinking at the added light 
which now reached them from the open door, 

“This leg hurts like the devil, Dan,” he answered wear- 
ily, laying his horny hand on the quilt over the leg that a 
falling timber had broken the day before. 

For several moments the young man remained silent; 
a troubled expression flitting across his face, as he stood 
wistfully gazing at the man whom everyone at the mill, 
in fact, the country ’round, called “Judge” — probably be- 
cause of his superior education; perhaps because of his 
keen sense of justice; and flashing, eagle eyes, which 
seemed to overawe all others. “I say. Judge,” he blurt- 
ed out, as though in a hurry to finish a disagreeable task, 
“I’m sorry ter tell ye, but — but I’ll have ter leave ye to- 
morrow.” The deep breathing of the older man was the 
only sound that broke the painful silence that followed 
these words. “Ye see, Judge, its — its like this,” he pur- 
sued falteringly, “I — I — ” 

The old man raised himself upon his elbow. “Shut up ! 
damn you!” he hoarsely interrupted. “Leave me! leave 
me ! — damn you ! When I found you ; you were sick — 
starving! I nursed you; took care of you; and, when 
5’-ou were well, got you this job. I was a fine fellow then! 


42 


COALESCENCE 


bat now, that I’m laid up, shelved, as it were” — he sank 
back upon his hard pillow — “you ‘have to’ leave me !” 

The young mountaineer leaned quickly toward him. 
“It ain’t fair, Judge,”' he ventured gently, “ter condemn 
a man unhearn ! A-fore dammin’ me, let me finish my 
say: — its — its about my sweetheart.” 

Instantly, the hard, hoary face of the old lumberman 
lit up with a soft, warm light. 

“Are ye listenin. Judge?” questioned the younger man, 
marveling at the sudden change in his companion’s face. 

“Yes” came the monosyllabic reply; but the old man’s 
eyes were riveted upon the cobwebs which over-hung the 
window, as though he saw something there to hold his 
thoughts : — memories ; faces ; ghastly scenes of years 
before ! 

“My sweetheart, Nell, as I’ve loved these five years, 
lives down in Nevada. I’ve wanted ter marry her this 
long, long time. But she was a-teachin’ school and sup- 
portin’ her old invalid dad ; and she wouldn’t leave him — 
even for me. But this mornin’ I got a-letter from her 
sayin’ that the old man was dead — and she — she was all 
alone. And — and — after her a-sayin’ she wanted me ter 
come ter her: — I just can’t bear o’ thinkin’ of that poor 
little girl a-grievin’ her heart out there all alone, when I 
orter be with her, ter protect and care for her.” 


COALESCENCE 


43 


The young lover waited vainly for some response to 
his long declaration, then broke the silence a trifle im- 
patiently : “Why don’t ye speak, Judge? Can’t ye under- 
stand a-feller’s feelin’? Ain’t ye ever had a sweetheart?’’ 

“Yes, I had a sweetheart,” the older man answered 
briefly, slowly turning his eyes toward him : — but they 
were so full of dull torture that the words on the lips of 
the younger man were arrested. “Dan,” — the old man 
stretched out his thin hand — “I pray God, that your — 
your love affair will be more happy in its ending than 
mine was !” 

The young man put his big, strong hand over the thin 
one, and gently pressed it. He was too much moved 
to speak. “Judge,” he said at length, “would ye mind 
tellin’ me: were ye ever married?” 

The old man’s face worked strangely; he moved rest- 
lessly on his bed; again raised himself on one elbow, and 
looked searchingly into his companion’s face. “Dan, my 
boy,” he muttered huskily, “I’ve been a true friend to 
you, haven’t I?” 

“That ye have. Judge!” 

“If— if I told you something— just to unburden my 
heart — could you forget it again — forget that I had ever 
spoken?” 

“My word ! Judge.” 


44 


COALESCENCE 


The old man glanced uneasily at the open door. “Close 
it, Dan,” he whispered. For some time after the young 
man returned to his seat by the bed-side, he lay back 
with closed eyes. At length he broke the silence : 
“There’s a terrible weight here, Dan,” — and his hoary 
hand clutched the bed-clothes, over his heart. “Some- 
times thoughts sting like scorpions — and crush a man 
under a mighty burden of memories that seem greater 
than the soul can bear. When we’re young and strong its 
easier to fight and battle against it; but when a man 
grows old, and his weak frame is racked with pain, he 
hasn’t much fight left in him, to keep him from sinking 
into a hell — of memories. Asleep or awake, I can’t keep 
my mind from wandering back to the old, old days. I 
see myself back in God’s country once more — back in my 
old New England home. Then back — back comes that 
rush of memories like an ugly dream — a hideous night- 
mare from which there’s no awakening !” He paused. 

“Go on. Judge,” the young man encouraged softly. 
“Tell me about yer old home. Ye’ll feel better for a-talk- 
in’ about it ! I always thought ye wasn’t born and raised 
in this here wilderness.” 

“No; I wasn’t, Dan. I was born and lived from boy- 
hood to manhood in that, to my eyes, most beautiful of 
all New England towns — Brookline. After my college 
days, I became a law clerk in Judge Thompson’s office; 


COALESCENCE 


45 


then came a time when I began practicing law in an office 
of my own.” 

“So ye were a lawyer?” the young man interrupted. 

“A lawyer? — yes.” Then he went on as though to 
himself : “Change, circumstance, fate, — call it what you 
will — but how slight a swing of the pendulum it takes to 
change the whole course of a man’s life.” Turning his 
eyes upon his companion: “You see, Dan, it began this 
way : I had a friend named Harris — Robert Harris. Our 
friendship dated back to the days when we played to- 
gether. It was about this time that we both fell in love 
with the same girl. God ! but it’s funny, no matter how 
great the friendship between man and man, the moment a 
woman’s involved — they’re enemies. 

“From inseparable friends, we soon grew to hate each 
other with all the unreasoning hatred of jealousy. Then 
the inevitable happened — we quarreled; not once, but 
often ! For this man, whom I had considered the soul of 
honor up to this time, tried, by scurrilous insinuations, to 
belittle my character. I was fiery in those days ; and in 
the heat of passion, I frequently threatened that there’d 
come a day of reckoning between us, and that he’d have to 
pay dearly for his words ! God what idle threats. It was 

I I who paid dearly — for my own words ; while his ” 

He paused, and sitting up in bed, faltered, almost incoher- 
ently : “Dan, I paid— do you want to know the price? By 


46 


COALESCENCE 


exile! And now I’m here; dying a lingering, fruitless 
death; an outcast; thousands of miles from home. My 
name — perhaps I was too proud of it, but ’twas an old, 
honored one — oh God ! that I should have lived to have it 
branded like that of Cain!” 

His voice trembled with emotion that almost choked 
his utterance. Presently, he seemed to become aware of 
the big hand over his; and, as he stared into the honest 
eyes of the young mountaineer, shrank back from what 
he saw — or imagined he saw — in their brown depths. 

“No! no! not that! Dan,” he exclaimed. “God knows 
I never harmed him ! I wish to Heaven that he had died 
a natural death ! I — I — well you see — ” He found it hard 
to control the nervous tremor of his lips. “Listen! — you 
shall hear the whole wretched story. Helen — Helen De- 
lacey was the name of the girl we both loved. She was a 
beautiful girl, Dan — so dainty, so refined, so good! I 
doubt if there was a more popular girl in the whole town. 
But alas ! the price one invariably has to pay for promi- 
nence and popularity, is by being made the food for gossip. 
Naturally Bob Harris and I played a conspicuous part in 
the much-discussed outcome of Helen Delacey’s rivals — 
for everyone knew us to be such! We were so well 
known that all phases of our quarrels and threats were 
noised about town. Then came a day— the memory of 
which a thousand years of life couldn’t wipe out ! For in 


COALESCENCE 


47 


those twenty-four hours I experienced the joys of Heaven 
and the misery of Hell ! 

“ ’Twas about four o’clock in the afternoon — I’d just 
left my office — when I met Helen. We talked a few min- 
utes ; then I turned to escort her home. On the way we 
stopped at the postoffice, and were just leaving when we 
came upon Bob. From his appearance, I realized that 
he had been drinking heavily; and attempted to avoid 
him : — but in vain ! 

“At the sight of us, a demon seemed to suddenly 
take possession of him. There was something in his look 
that instinctively made Helen recoil. 1 think he noticed 
it, and lost his head ! He made some sneering, insulting 
remark. Although my blood was boiling, the hand that 
I’d laid upon Helen’s arm calmed me sufficiently to ad- 
dress him coldly. I told him that the presence of a lady 
was all that prevented me from giving him the thrashing 
he so thoroughly deserved. In a flash, before I’d time to 
realize what had happened, he closed his hand and struck 
me in the face. Before I recovered from my surprise. I’d 
felt the tremor of disgust pass over Helen. It saved me 
Irom forgetting myself! To many, my voice may have 
seemed unnaturally calm as I turned to him and said: T 
shall call you to account for that blow later on.’ ” The 
old man again hesitated. 


48 


COALESCENCE 


“Go on, Judge!” the young man urged impatiently. 
“What happened then? Tell me about the girl ! What’d 
she say?” 

A rapt look overspread the old man’s face. “It was 
that day at the postoffice that the truth first dawned upon 
me — that ’twas I whom Helen loved. Until then, Td be- 
lieved that the war, which had so long been waging be- 
tween Bob and myself, was on neutral ground — that we 
both had a fighting chance of winning her love. But 
from that moment, although she hadn’t spoken, I knew 
her whole heart belonged to me. 

“That evening I spent with her; staid quite late. 
Before I left, she promised to become my wife !” For a 
moment, the old man lay very still, with closed eyes. 
“When I reached home, I was fairly intoxicated with 
happiness. I went to bed; but could not sleep. I lay 
there wide-awake ; thinking — thinking of her, and the day 
I’d call her ‘wife.’ Yes, in my ecstacy, I even thought of 
the man whom I’d hated. I had won: could I not afford 
to be generous? to forgive him for all he’d said and done? 
For Bob, the man who had once been my best friend, had 
lost! How long I laid there, I do not know. Some 
sound brought me back to earth : I sat up. Several times 
I heard a slight noise, as though a pebble had struck my 
window. Mechanically, I got up, and went to investi- 
gate. There, beneath my window, stood Helen ! In the 


COALESCENCE 


49 


shadowy, wan light — her black, wind-tossed hair, brought 
out, with terrifying clearness, the deadly whiteness of her 
face. A sudden, nameless fear leaped up within me. She 
was beckoning to me. It was but a second, and I’d 
jumped into some clothes; in another instant was at her 
side. 

“‘My God! Helen,’ I gasped, ‘what’s happened?’ 

“ ‘Oh, Harry I Harry !’ she cried, throwing her arms 
about my neck and tlten — with her face hidden against 
my shoulder — she told me that — that which made me 
stagger back, all the blood in my body seeming to rush 
to my temples ! For an instant, every fiber of me seemed 
stunned ; benumbed ! — but all too quickly came the full, 
vivid realization of the words that were burned into my 
brain as by fire.” The old man lowered his voice uncon- 
sciously. “Robert Harris was — dead! — was then lying, 
cold and still, a blood-stained corpse. Less than two 
hours before, he’d been found senseless upon a lonely 
street. He’d regained consciousness just long enough to 
name me as his assailant. This, and ^that a warrant had 
been sworn out for my arrest, Helen had learned from 
her brother. 

“God, think of it ! The dark stigma of the foulest crime 
for which a man can suffer, was even then hanging over 
me ! It was I— I, once his best friend, that must be com- 
pelled to stand trial for that heinous deed ! Prison-walls 


50 


COALESCENCE 


must separate me from her who was dearer to me than 
life ! I should be forced to bear the hard, unsympathetic 
looks of my one-time friends. I recoiled in horror from 
what I felt must he the verdict. 

“The motive for the crime would be found in that slen- 
der, white-faced girl : I was lawyer enough to know that 
there was not one weak link in that terrible chain of evi- 
dence but that was against me. My quick, fiery temper; 
and the long rivalry between the murdered man and my- 
self ; our meeting that afternoon ; our quarrel ; my threats 
— all added one damnable circumstance to another. Dy- 
ing men don’t lie ! Bob, without doubt, actually believed 
that I was his assailant. 

“I could not even prove an alibi : my folks knew I’d 
been out late; Helen’s mother was dead; her father was 
out of town ; her brother had been away ; and I’d left the 
Delacey home before he returned. The only one who 
could help me prove an alibi was the girl ; who, as my be- 
trothed, no one would believe. I thought of Helen on the 
witness-stand, with brazen reporters trying to sketch her 
beautiful, sensitive face for their newspapers. That 
thought wrung me, and a groan escaped my lips. 

“In an instant, her arms were about my neck again; 
and, with a mute caress, she pressed her cold cheek 
against mine. Just then a distant bell faintly called the 
hour of two. With a faint cry she slipped from my arms. 


COALESCENCE 


51 


‘Here, Harry,’ she said, and casting a quick, half fright- 
ened glance about us, slipped a roll of bills into my hand. 
‘It’s two hundred dollars ; it’s father’s ; I knew where he 
kept it. I took it — because you’ll need it ! Some day you 
can pay it back.’ At first I did not grasp her meaning, 
but stood stupidly gazing at the money. ‘Oh Harry,’ she 
cried, clutching my arm ; ‘don’t you — can’t you under- 
stand? You must not be found here! Any moment may 
be too late ! There’s not a second to lose I You must go ! 
— somewhere far, far away from here !’ 

“At last I understood : a flickering flame of hope arose 
within me. Flight — flight would mean freedom : no trial ; 
escape from a sea of morbid, curious faces — of the men 
and women who would come to gaze at the ‘murderer of 
Robert Harris.’ 

“But that hope died quickly, and I felt a benumbing 
chilliness creeping over me. To flee — from the law, 
home, friends, and honor — would be like a confession of 
guilt! But to stay? In a frenzy of despair, I convuls- 
ively pressed Helen to my breast. ‘My God, Helen,’ I 
gasped, ‘I can’t, I can’t: it would be worse than signing 
my own death-warrant, to leave you !’ 

“For a moment she was speechless; but I felt her 
trembling within my grasp. She then looked up with 
sudden courage. ‘Harry, you must go!’ she whispered. 


52 


COALESCENCE 


‘I — I couldn’t stay here without you, because — I love 
you. ril go with you!' 

“‘No! Helen, no,’ I protested, though her words set 
my heart to hammering madly, ‘I cannot ask such a 
sacrifice ! I cannot let you give up everything — for me !’ 

“ ‘Harry — dear, don’t say that !’ she murmured, ‘love 
knows no sacrifice — fears no obstacle ; braves any danger I’ 

“Never, never, shall I forget that moment of soul-ec- 
stacy, as I gazed into her beautiful, pleading eyes — that 
shone like twin stars through her tears. All other emo- 
tions were sunk in a wild impulse to catch her up and 
flee with her to some safe place. At that instant, we 
heard approaching footsteps. Quick as a flash I drew 
Helen into a dark and secluded spot, behind some shrub- 
bery. Nearer and nearer they came! Would they stop 
when our house was reached? My brain was on fire, and 
my heart throbbing. With every nerve strained, we 
stood listening. A moment of awful suspense ensued. 
At last I breathed a fervent; ‘thank God’, for the foot- 
steps continued, until lost in a deep grim silence. And 
in that silence, broken only by the low moan of the night 
wind, we hastily planned it all out — or rather, it was 
brave little Helen who did most of the planning. 

“Her uncle, a retired banker, resided at the old Delacey 
homestead on the Newton road, about sixteen miles from 
town. There we felt sure that we could find shelter. 


COALESCENCE 


53 


where we might remain hidden until we could escape to 
that place which, in those days, was the Mecca of all 
law-evaders — the great wilderness of the West. 

“But if we were to reach that coveted shelter, there was 
but one hope — and that was that the black vacancy of the 
night would not betray our flight. There weren’t more 
than three hours of darkness left. Animated by the ter- 
rible fear that it might yet be too late, I left Helen but 
an instant. When I again joined her I was leading our 
horse. I’d only stopped long enough to slip on his 
bridle. In grim, desperate haste, we mounted the poor 
devil — both riding astride. Urging him on, he proceed- 
ed at a good pace until the town was left far' behind. 
Aside from an occasional whispered word, only the 
breathing of the horse and the dull thud of his hoof-beats 
on the soft country road, broke the awful stillness. It 
was a long, terrible ride. Toward the last, when the 
horse began to go lame and winded. I’d dismount and 
run along at his side, until, nearly exhausted. I’d climb 
on again. 

“We met several farm-wagons, on their way to mar- 
ket; but, as they all carried lights, we saw them in time 
to drive into a secluded spot in some field or nearby 
woods, and wait until they’d passed. 

“In this manner, we covered about thirteen miles; 
when the horse became so lame, we had to dismount. I 


54 


COALESCENCE 


turned him lose with his head turned homeward; and 
picking up a switch, struck him a few half-hearted blows, 
which sent him oflF at a limping, uncertain gait. 

“By this time, the first gray tints of dawn were appear- 
ing. Although poor little Helen was so shaken up from 
riding that she could hardly move, we were urged on by 
the terrible fear of not being able to reach our goal by 
daybreak; and continued with the strength of sheer des- 
peration — sometimes running, sometimes walking.” The 
old man paused. 

The young man leaned forward. “Bless ye, Judge, 
but Miss Helen was a plucky girl ! But go on ! Did ye 
git there all right?” 

“You’re right, Dan,” replied the old man, with a quick 
outburst of enthusiasm, “there never lived a pluckier girl ! 
Yes, fortune was with us; we reached her uncle’s just as 
the hired man was entering the pasture — we’d taken to 
the fields long before this ; not daring to trust to the 
roads. Dust-begrimed and weary, we crept into the 
house unnoticed ; and Helen slipped up to her uncle’s 
room. Just what she told him, I never knew; but I 
wasn’t kept in suspense very long, for one glance at the 
strong and kindly face of her gray-haired uncle convinced 
me that Helen had pleaded our cause well: and the way 
in which he wrung my hand put new life into me. 


COALESCENCE 


55 


“We soon discoTered that we hadn’t sought this refuge 
in vain ; for her uncle, with the vigilance of an old soldier 
on duty, kept us guarded from prying eyes. He grasped 
the peril of my situation, and took every precaution to 
prevent my capture. Realizing that if Helen were found, 
it would be supposed that we’d flown together, she also, 
was obliged to remain out of sight. ’Twas well: for, 
long before noon, the Police had scented our trail and 
soon searched the old house from end to end. My cap- 
ture would have been inevitable if it hadn’t been for the 
ingenious hiding-place which her uncle found for us. 

“In olden days the better-class country-houses had 
sunken cisterns — or wells — into which rain-water was 
carried by pipes leading from troughs that ran along the 
lower ledges of the roof. But even in those days, these 
cisterns were practically obsolete ; and the pipes into their 
well had been disconnected. A small trap-door opened 
into that enclosure from a small closet which led off 
from the kitchen. The cistern was fully eight feet high, 
and about four feet square ; the bottom being several feet 
below the level of the cellar floor; and, as it was built 
beyond the limits of the cellar, once in this well — with 
boxes and other things piled above us to conceal the place 
of entrance — we couldn’t have asked for a better hiding- 
place. 


66 


COALESCENCE 


“But never shall I forget the calm courage and forti- 
tude of Helen, when the old gentleman hurried us into 
that closet, and swung open the trap-door, revealing 
the hole which we were to enter. It was a horrible place 
for a girl. I caught a firm hold of her; the door was 
closed above us ; and we found ourselves enveloped in 
utter darkness. Drawing Helen into my arms, I felt her 
slender form trembling with excitement and raised her 
cold, icy fingers to my lips. ‘Helen,’ I whispered, ‘are 
you afraid?’ I couldn’t see her lips, but oh, how her 
words thrilled me : ‘I’m not afraid when you’re with me !’ 

“Entombed in that pit, we waited while the house was 
being ransacked. It might have been one — or perhaps 
two — hours, but it seemed fully a half-day, before we 
again saw the blessed light ! During the three days that 
the old homestead sheltered us, we were always prepared 
for an emergency. The approach of any person toward 
the house was the signal for an immediate scramble into 
the well. On the first night, Helen persuaded her uncle 
to send for a neighboring clergyman, whom she had 
known from childhood. He was taken into our confi- 
dence. A few words of his made Helen my wife; but 
alas! under what different circumstances from what I 
had dreamed, only the night before I 

“On the third day, all our preparations were completed ; 
and, when darkness enshrouded our movements, we stole 


COALESCENCE 


57 


out, disguised as a young couple of the laboring class, and 
were driven, by the clergyman who married us, to the 
nearest railroad-town. It was a long, dreary drive; the 
cold, bleak wind chilling us to the bone long before the 
station was reached. A low-toned blessing, and heart- 
given pressure of the minister’s hand, and we clambored 
upon the train that was to take us on our way to — shall I 
say Hell ! or Arizona ?” 

The old man settled into a deep and thoughtful reverie. 
Unconsciously, he emitted several incoherent exclama- 
tions, that clearly showed the soul-trying torture to which 
he was being subjected by these harrowing reminis- 
cences. Then suddenly recovering himself, he began 
again ; 

“Happiness comes at strange times, Dan! We found 
it then; each in the other ; while fleeing, and alone. How 
distinctly each detail of that trip remains in my memory I 
I said we Jound happiness,' Dan, and so we did!— but 
there were times when a vague, , indefinable sorrow 
would assail me, and I’d cry out in agony of remorse: 
‘Oh! Helen, Helen, I’m taking you out of God’s country 

to where? to what future?’ Then she’d slip her hand 

into mine ; and in her sweet, confiding way, would whis- 
per: ‘With you. I’d go anywhere and dare anything! 
Never fear, we’ll be happy! — you and I.’ And then, in 


58 


COALESCENCE 


the wild joy that was akin to pain, I’d forget everything, 
everything but the happiness — that she belonged to me ! 

“At last our journey was ended; and, one morning, we 
found ourselves in Tucson. ’Twas a different town then 
from what it is now. I could think of no comparative as 
I looked through that lurid atmosphere upon those one- 
story, flat-roofed, adobe houses ; and narrow, tortuous 
thoroughfares — with their saloons and gambling places. 
About one-half of the population was Mexican; and the 
balance was made up of a motley assortment of Indians, 
and a few stray bits of human drift-wood — men like my- 
self, who, with disgraced names, were seeking a place of 
concealment; while just beyond the crumbling mud- walls 
of the town, in miserable huts, lived a lawless lot of 
riff-raff humanity; who only came to town to get drunk, 
and fill the air with their outlandish yells. 

“Into this veritable hell on earth, I’d brought Helen; 
but, fortunately, on the first day, I fell in with the one 
preacher in the vicinity; and ’twas soon arranged that 
we’d put up with him. He had a two-room cabin, built 
close to the edge of a cliff ; at the top of a steep grade. 
We could look right down upon the town, and see the 
Voqueros flocking to the white-man’s *fire-shop’ — as the 
saloons were called in those days. 

“With every link in the world that Helen had once 
known, broken, she took up her new life with a courage 


COALESCENCE 


59 


that I could but marvel at ! She soon grew to love the 
lofty and rugged mountains that surrounded us; and 
would sit for hours, fascinated by their ceaseless chang- 
ing moods, and the rich purple tints which overhung 
them. While I — I never gazed around upon these moun- 
tains, without comparing them with her — they were so 
alike : grand, wonderful, mysterious ! As the old preach- 
er^ said: ‘She made that lonely cabin seem like a bit of 
Heaven above a dark Inferno.’ 

“We’d been there but a little over two months when 
the saloon-keepers became so furious at the preacher — 
for his talk against drinking — that they gave him a per- 
emptory order to light out — while he had a chance. And 
in those days it wasn’t safe to let such a warning go un- 
heeded! The preacher procured three pintos, and one 
morning, we left Tucson, just as the sun arose, a blood- 
red disc, flooding the snow-clad summits of the peaks 
with a crimson glory. 

“We packed our way north, toward the cattle-country, 
with painful slowness — for the preacher was old and lame. 
We kept on, day after day. Occasionally, as we’d pass a 
lonely ranch, the savage barking of dogs would greet us ; 
but, for the most part, our rugged trail lay in a stillness 
scarcely broken save by some wild creature of that yet 
untamed wilderness. At night, we’d camp under the lea 
of some giant rock; or in a canon, under sheltering 


60 


COALESCENCE 


trees. The preacher and Td take turns in replenishing 
the camp-fire, which we kept burning brightly, as a pre- 
caution against wild beasts. Once, after an exhaustive 
day, we saw a lantern burning in a corral. We dismount- 
ed, thinking we could obtain shelter for the night; but 
the rancher was drunk; took us for horse-thieves, and 
fired at us — compelling us to flee for our lives. 

“Later, as we drew near the cattle-country, we came 
upon an abandoned hut, in the heart of a small canon. 
The preacher proposed that we take possession of the 
cabin, saying that I could probably get a job with the 
neighboring punchers or mustangers, and that he’d 
‘catch’ converts. 

“So we settled down. I learned to bust bronchos, and 
herd; while Helen — well, it took her but a short time 
when she’d the hut so tided up that no one would have 
known it was the same place.” The old man paused, 
his voice failing. Dreamily, he stared through the dust- 
covered window and far beyond — into the uncertainty of 
oblivion. He then again fixed his eyes upon his com- 
panion, and continued a trifle unsteadily; “A little boy 
came to us — a fine little fellow ; that did our hearts good ! 
He was a handsome, sunny little chap— like his mother ! 
And Helen — she was the proudest girl the country 
’round. 

“But we weren’t destined to be happy for very long. 


COALESCENCE 


61 


The Indians were up to hell again. Seized with terror 
for the safety of Helen and the child, we decided to 
strike out We had the same pintos that we had when 
we came to the valley, nearly two years before. So, one 
morning, we threw drust; the preacher taking the lead, 
as he was familiar with those parts of the country. Over 
long, weary miles, our ponies traveled persistently. Our 
trail led across a canon, where, for miles, we traveled 
between two massive walls of rock, with space barely wide 
enough for our ponies to pass through. The preacher soon 
lost his bearings, so we had to leave the trail and climb 
a nearby mountain — to see where we were. For 
hours, we laboriously toiled up the steep ascent. It was 
late in the afternoon when we reached the summit. 
What a scene met our gaze! Nothing but desolation! 
To the right, we looked upon the arid, desert waste, over 
which our journey lay. Its very nakedness struck ter- 
ror to our hearts ; it looked so bleak and forbidding — as 
if it had been devastated by a plague; leaving every- 
thing dead and buried. At the foot of the mountain, two 
thousand feet below, the lifeless trail looked like a long, 
white ribbon — leading to the East. In every other direc- 
tion, we were practically hemmed in by high, grotesquely 
shaped mountains — their barren, rocky ridges, standing 
out like a Roman fort. 

“We could go no farther that day; so we camped for 


62 


COALESCENCE 


the night in a deep, dark cave; making our fire far back 
from the entrance — for fear some wandering band of 
Reds might see our light. 

“At early dawn, we struck out for the trail again. 
When about half-way down the mountain-side, we stop- 
"ped and had breakfast; watering our horses, and filling 
our canteens and water-bottles at a small, muddy flume. 
Then we pushed on, and soon were in that miserable 
abode of Death; exposed to the fierce heat of the sun, 
which shone from a sky of cloudless, burning blue. It 
beat down with merciless fury; and seemed to reflect up- 
wards again with as relentless intensity. My fears mul- 
tiplied with every step of our trudging pintos, for Helen 
began to wilt — to droop like a candle placed near an open 
furnace. 

“For three days, we trailed along; expecting every 
hour to reach some low-lying hills that, all along, had 
been plainly discernible. By this time, our water-bottles 
were hanging empty from our shoulders ; our food was 
gone; while the hills seemed to be mocking us with their 
elusive distance. The stillness of death reigned ’round 
us; there was no sign of life, save when we caught.sight 
of an occasional chameleon, horned-toad or lizard. The 
solitude was fearful ! the hungry desert oppressing us 
like a vampire — stifling us with a dread that was even 
worse than death ! 


COALESCENCE 


63 


“Already the terrible glare of the sun had scorched the 
brains of the preacher, robbing him of his reason. At 
first, the thirst-maddened man had shrieked, in his de- 
lirium, for water! — water! But soon, with his cracked 
lips, and swollen, bleeding tongue, he was only able to 
gurgle incoherently, and fell prostrate to the ground. I 
then tied him to his pony, to keep him with us. I thank 
God that a merciful oblivion had so far stolen over Helen’s 
senses, that she never knew that a dead man rode with 
us ; nor felt the horror I felt on seeing a dozen or more 
hideous vultures circling ’round above us. I knew only 
too well what it meant ! and untied the lifeless form of 
the man who’d been our best friend. There wasn’t time 
for burial — as I could see my wife and child growing 
weaker every moment, and realized that if that life-giv- 
ing water wasn’t reached soon, ’twould be too late. 

“In torturous suspense, we pressed on ; when, sud- 
denly, the pintos pricked up their ears. They had scent- 
ed water, and rushed frantically along, until we came to 
a trickling spring that flowed grudgingly from a shad- 
owed rock. The maddened animals then fought so fierce- 
ly to gain first place, that I was obliged to wait for what 
seemed an eternity before I could get drinks for our- 
selves. 

“I can’t tell you, Dan, of the anguish which rent my 
heart; for although we’d found the precious fluid, the 


64 


COALESCENCE 


strain had proven too great for m3'’ little girl, and she — • 
she who’d stuck by me through thick and thin ! — was — 
dying! Surrounded by that vast, m3'’sterious desert ; 
with only the pitiless stars above; I clung to her who 
was my world— until the feeble sobbing of my mother- 
less boy aroused me. Helen’s last words had been a plea 
for that helpless mite : — I must live for him — our boy.” 
The old man stretched out his thin hands. “ ’Twas the 
child, Dan, who kept me from going mad — as, with these 
hands, I dug the grave ! and then — buried the light of my 
lifef* 

The young man bowed his head in sympathetic sor- 
row. For some time there was silence. He then asked, 
in a hushed voice : “And the bo3"; — what became of him?” 

“God knows, Dan ! — I don’t !” 

“What ! — what d’ye mean ?” 

“This, Dan : for five years I made a home for the little 
chap. I tried to take Helen’s place — as well as to be a 
father to him. Then, one day, I left him for a short time, 
playing in front of our cabin. Suddenly, I heard a 
startled cry. Before I could reach the spot, a band of 
roving Indians had seized my boy and were fleeing.” 

While the old man was speaking, a gleam of excite- 
ment shot into the eyes of the younger man ; his breath 
came sharply ; for within him, somewhere, a flood-gate of 
memory had been opened. ' 


COALESCENCE 


65 


“Judge, did ye — did ye attempt to shoot yer son? — ter 
save him from the Indians!” 

Involuntarily, the old man leaned forward, scanning 
the features of his companion as though suddenly trans- 
fixed. 

Impulsively, the 3’oung man sprang toward him. 

“Judge ! — father P' 

“Dan ! — my son 


ijp 

Far up in the wooded Rockies, the sun is setting; and, 
as it slowly baptizes a peaceful scene in a sea of glorified 
light, there appear, in the open doorway of a cozy cabin, 
a young man and woman. Presently, the dark eyes of the 
man grow soft and humid ; and, drawing the woman into 
his arms, he silently points to a rocker beneath a giant 
tree, where an old man is seated. Asleep in his arms, is 
a dark-haired, baby girl ; one chubby little hand hidden in 
his gray beard, close to his lips. As the child stirs in her 
sleep, the old man presses the tiny form closer, and 
kisses the wee, baby face again and again, murmuring: 
“Helen, Helen!” 


I 


I 





Cupid or Cupiditv 


Leah Rembrant, a cultured and beautiful young woman, 
was, by a stroke of financial misfortune, suddenly forced 
from a position of luxury and ease to that of earning her 
living, and helping her mother support three fatherless 
children. 

She dressed plainly; but with that excellence of taste 
which always proclaims refinement ; and which makes the 
plainest of clothes appear well. 

Instinctive desire for those delicacies, luxuries and 
elegancies which were her birthright caused her to suffer 
from the poverty of her new dwelling, from the dinginess 
of their apartments, and from the dilapidated condition of 
the wornout chairs and carpets — with a degree of in- 
tensity 'only understood by those who have fallen from a 
higher position. 

Her innate pride caused her to wish to hide behind the 


68 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


counter of the store where she was employed. The snubs 
of her former class-mates and friends — who now recog- 
nized her with but haughty and imperious indifference — 
galled her. The brazen familiarity with which she was 
addressed by certain “gentlemen” customers — their leer- 
ing manner, and scandalous proposals — angered, sickened 
her. 

When she returned from her work — all tired out and 
nervous — the thought of her present life caused regrets to 
arouse within her which were without hope; and awoke 
painful reminiscences of the past. 

She would think of her former home ; of the beautiful 
furniture, laden with costly curiosities ; of dainty dinners, 
served upon expensive china and silverware. She would 
think of the five o’clock teas which she had given to her 
friends, when she had been the belle of the elite, and the 
one most sought-after of all. These, and thousands of 
other thoughts of the past, would pass through her mind, 
until, at last, she would go to her little bed-room with 
an aching heart, to quietly cry herself to sleep. 

One evening, she returned home in an almost hysterical 
condition, and tearfully informed her mother that she 
could stand it no longer — that she must give up her 
position at the store. 

Within a few days, Leah secured a position as com- 
panion to an aged woman, a Mrs. Holmes — who had been 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


69 


a friend of her father. She was treated with the kindest 
consideration. Her duties proved to be very light, as 
Mrs. Holmes merely wished companionship, sorely dis- 
liking the loneliness and seclusion which the temporary 
absence of the men-folks occasioned. 

She was gloriously happy; almost beside herself with 
joy. For living within that beautiful mansion — with all 
the comforts and elegance of her childhood about her; 
with all that she had so greatly missed and desired; — 
caused new hopes to surge within her heart; gladness 
to enshroud her every thought and feeling. Again was 
she the beautiful, gracious, smiling and prepossessing 
creature of the days of her girlhood and prosperity. 

‘This family contained two other members; young men 
of about twenty-five years of age — Mrs. Holmes’ son, and 
his cousin. Both were handsome, but of very opposite 
characters : the son, Robert, — calm, haughty and cynical ; 
the cousin, James Hill, — impetuous and light-hearted. 
In worldly goods, they were equally divergent; for the 
son, having inherited a considerable, fortune, was ex- 
tremely well-to-do; while the cousin, a civil engineer, was 
— like most beginners in that profession who are devoid 
of an inheritance — almost as extremely poor. 

Both of these young men were immediately infatuated 
with Leah. But the combination of a handsome face, 
with a none-too-slow, well-spoken declaration of love, is 


70 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


best situated to win a maiden’s love; so while Robert 
spent the ensuing days — and nights — in thinking as to 
rhe best ways and means of wooing Leah, James success- 
fully won her heart, and spent his time in more thor- 
oughly riveting the bonds of their love. 

After a few weeks, however, the time came when James 
was obliged to make a long journey into the North- 
West; having been ordered to report as Chief Engineer 
of the Chicago-Trans-Continental Railroad, at Boise — 
where a new bridge was to be erected by that company. 

Folding Leah closely to his breast, he murmured : 

“Well, little sweetheart, I won’t be gone for long, at 
any rate! I’ll hurry back as soon as possible. In the 
meantime, we’ll have to be satisfied with letters, I guess. 
Good bye, my darling.’’ 

“Good bye, my love,” she sorrowfully answered. 

And thus they parted. 

The days, the weeks, dragged slowly by. In vain, she 
awaited his letter; in vain, she finally wrote him — for 
never a word did she receive in reply. 

Then, one evening, Robert asked her to step into the 
drawing-room, saying that he wished to speak to her. 
He began by reminding her that they had been friends 
from childhood, that their parents had likewise been 
friends, and stated that he therefore considered it his duty 
to be plain-spoken. He thereupon informed her that he 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


71 


had noticed that an “aifair of the heart” existed between 
James and herself. Continuing, he told her that while 
James had, without doubt, been thoroughly earnest in his 
love for her, yet his love was doubtless of ephemeral 
quality ; that, upon more mature deliberation, he probably 
realized his financial inability to marry her; and was 
simply taking a coward’s method of breaking off their 
“understanding.” “Men of such weak and frivolous char- 
acters don’t appreciate their contemptible cruelty, in 
teaching a girl to love them; and, although I dislike 
hurting your feelings, I should advise you to put him 
from your mind !” were his concluding remarks. 

With difficulty she restrained her tears; and, after 
thanking him, retired to her room, where she gave vent 
to her repressed emotions in quiet, though heart-rending 
sobs; — for Robert’s talk had more fully confirmed her 
fear of James’ infidelity. 

Three months passed by. Youth quickly obliterates 
the sentiments of love when fuel for the same is lacking, 
and already Leah found herself thinking of her love for 
James as that of a dream of the past; — almost, but not 
quite ! 

By this time Robert’s more passive and slow-acting 
nature began to assert itself. More and more frequently, 
was he to be found seeking Leah’s companionship. Daily 
drives, trips to the theatre, and other diverse amusements. 


72 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


taken together, were beginning to awaken, within his 
breast, a hitherto slumbering sentiment, that, once fully 
aroused, was sure to manifest itself. 

One night, he heard the call — Cupid’s call. 

That evening, after his mother had retired for the night, 
Robert unburdened his soul to Leah ; told her that he 
loved her from the time she had first come to reside with 
them, but that he had delayed declaring himself, as he 
leared she would consider him impetuous, and his love 
shallow and short-lived. He then asked her to become 
his wife. 

Taken completely by surprise, she answered that, as 
yet, she did not love him ; that she was sorry to have to 
refuse him, but, until she honestly loved him, she would 
have to decline his offer. 

“But will you try real hard to learn to love me?” he 
entreated. 

“Yes,” she weakly answered, and slipped away to her 
room. 

Just as a man loves the more strongly in proportion to 
the number of obstacles to be overcome, — so much the 
harder it is to overcome the obstacles which prevent our 
love. Thus, while Robert spent the succeeding days in 
trying — by those subtleties practiced by hopeful, amorous 
aspirants — to gain her love; and while she, in turn. 




^ • 



f 





CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


73 


honestly tried to cause her heart to yearn for him ; — ^yct 
the desired result was not attained. 

“Why is it,” Leah one day asked herself, “that I cannot 
learn to love him? I believe that the love I once held 
for James is absolutely dead. Robert certainly loves me ; 
he is handsome, rich, and able to supply me with all those 
luxuries I long to possess. Well, maybe I will love him 
— some day?” 

Five months passed by. The cold, bleak winter was 
past, and spring, with its balmy air, bright sunshine and 
singing birds, had come to brighten the lives of humanity. 

Leah sat by a window. A novel lay upon her lap ; but 
she was thinking of something far, far more important to 
her than a novelist’s tale of love. For, on that evening, 
she had promised to give Robert an answer. And, she 
looked at the luxury of her surroundings; at the mag- 
nificence and dignity of the mansion that might soon be 
her’s — no great wonder that she felt reverberating within 
her, the answer: — “Yes”. 

She heard the grating sound of the wheels of a carriage 
upon the graveled driveway, as it drew up to their porte 
cochere. Looking out, she beheld a young man alight. 
She noticed that he was fearfully pale, and that he 
walked with an unsteady gait — almost limped. He re- 
moved his hat as though it pained him, and she saw that 
a deep, red scar was upon his forehead. 


74 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


Overcome with compassion, she rushed to the door, and 
was the first to admit the visitor. 

He staggered in. “Oh Leah ! my ”, he checked 

himself with a choke, then faintly added, “My god ! but 

I’m glad to see you again, my ”, again he repressed 

the word he was about to utter, and hastily added, 
“Leah!” 

But the excitement proved too much for his weakened 
condition. The room began to turn, and a filmy mist to 
gather before his eyes. 

When he awoke, he found himself lying within a dark- 
ened room ; — which he had long known as his own. For 
a few moments he lay without moving or uttering a 
sound. 

“Hello?” he then faintly called. 

“Yes, James?” answered a voice from the other side of 
the room, as its owner glided toward him. 

“Leah I” he ejaculated ; then, for a brief space, remained 
inarticulate — as though trying to collect his thoughts. Of 
a sudden, in tones of agonized appeal, he continued : 

“Please hear me through, Leah! There were times 
within my life, when I felt . . . surging up within me 
. . . an irrepressible desire to have one whom I could love 
. . . could protect . . . with whom I could share my life 
. . . for one who could love me in return . . . But, as 
time sped on without my being able to find one such 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


75 


I began to feel that . . . for me ... no such blessing 
was in store. 

“At last, a maiden came that made my heart beat faster 
. . . that caused new hopes to gather in my breast . . . 
new life to ebb within my veins. For once ... I loved ! 

“To me, she was sweeter than life itself. I thought 
God had sent her to brighten and ennoble my future life. 
But in that ... I was mistaken ! — ’twas but another deep 
temptation to be overcome ! — a hope for me to strangle in 
its cradle! 

“I was poor . . . but possessed of great hopes . . . and 
expected to soon receive a good income! I had been 
offered a position as chief engineer of a railroad. 

“Oh! God seemed so good to me then! I was happy 
. . . happy as words can never tell ! With her love, it 
seemed as though this earth was a Paradise ! 

“Well, I then accepted the position, and went to Boise. 
But the ‘Road’ fell through and went into the Receiver’s 
hands. That meant ruin for me . . . and my hopes ! I 
had but little in the bank. I knew that I had no right to 
marry her . . . knew that it would be a crime . . . that 
to her luxury meant life and happiness . . . that poverty 
meant hell ! 

“From what I had heard Robert say, I knew that he 
too loved her; that he . . . and not I . . . was the one 


76 


CUPID OR CUPIDITY 


who could make her happy . . . and do for her what a 
man owes to a wife. 

“I lost my nerve ... I took to drink, and . . . drink 
— tx)ok to me ! 

“Then this accident ... I fell from a thirty-foot 
bridge. But I did not care ... in fact, I was only sorry 
that it did not do its work completely! Yet, somehow, 
the illness which followed awoke certain remorse within 
jne that nearly drove me mad I I simply had to come and 
tell you all . . . my reasons for having acted as I did I 

“But now, Leah, let the past lie dead. Tonight I go 
out of your life forever ! Now you understand all — and 
. . . and my conscience rests clear !”. 




That night, as Robert angrily paced the floor with 
brows close-knit, there sat, within the coach of a South- 
bound express train, a happy, contented, little girl, who 
was going back to the life of poverty she loathed and 
detested; who was giving up a life of ease, luxury and 
elegance; — for love. 



/ 



r J 










tb( $by$t«r 


Nillus B. Thiickscull, Attorney and Counselor-at-Law, 
slightly under the influence of liquor, sat lazily drumming 
his fingers upon his desk. He certainly presented the 
appearance of almost anything other than that of a coun- 
selor. Forlorn; unkempt; unshaven; with unpolished 
shoes; dirty linen; and cheap, impressed, readymade 
clothes ; Mr. Thickscull was one of those attorneys — with 
which, the Bar is crowded to overflowing, —who imagines 
that he has reached the highest goal of ambition and 
honor, and that further demonstration of ability or wor- 
thiness is uncalled for. Like many another, he was pos- 
sessed of just sufficient brain-power to gain admission to 
the Bar by following the facts as laid down in law-books 
written by others ; but who, when placed on his own in- 
itiative, finds himself entirely at sea. He, however, like 
all ignoramuses, was asininely conceited, and daily ex- 


80 


THE SHYSTER 


pected the recognition accorded Blackstone. His prac- 
tice consisted of that branch of Police-Court Criminal 
Law known as Assault and Batteiry, Disorderly Conduct, 
and so forth. As a lawyer, he was an egotistical- nonen- 
tity, but as an “easy mark,” he was ne plus ultra. 

Having just finished typewriting a letter to which he 
had duly affixed the appendix. Diet., N. B. T., Steno., 
H. L. H., he was now considering as to the advisability 
of returning home; or of remaining, and taking chances 
on the appearance of one of his clients. He had about 
decided to put his work ** over the Calendar** and dismiss 
himself, when he espied an individual approaching. 
Hastily grabbing several documents of portentous size, 
he immediately assumed -a very busy and important at- 
titude. Upon the entrance of his visitor, he bestowed 
upon him on of those bored, hurried and imperious bows, 
so frequently assumed by attorneys. 

“Mr. Thickscull,” began the caller, “if you are not 
too busy, I have a matter of exceeding interest to pro- 
fessional men”. At the words “I have a matter”, Mr. 
Thickscull instinctively and impulsively “pricked up his 
ears”; but, upon noting the plural completion of the 
sentence, again assumed an air of abject indifference. 

“Well, I can spare a few minutes — if it is of pressing 
importance!” answered that would-be Jurisconsult. 

“Thank you, my dear Mr. Thickscull”, proceeded the 


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THE SHYSTER 


81 


intruder, advancing with pompous dignity. “I have the 
honor of representing, in the capacity of Field-Manager 
and Representative Plenopotentiary, the International 
Collegiate and Professional Alumni — with Headquarters 
at Boston. Realizing the absolute necessity of modern 
enclycoptdic information — owing to the great advance- 
ment made in the Arts, Professions, Sciences, and so forth, 
that august Body has, after endless research, compiled 
and abridged a set of works known as the Twentieth 
Century Enclycopedic and Historic Review: — treating 
upon each and every subject of interest to the civilized 
World. Before placing these works in the hands of the 
public, we wish to introduce them through one or more 
of the representative citizens of each of our larger 
municipalities. By the use of your name, we feel that 
we can influence the sale with the more commonplace 
citizens; and, at at same time, maintain a higher price 
than otherwise. You have been recommended to us by 
Judge Rochford, as fulfilling our rigid requirements — 
which is indeed worthy of compliment; coming as it 
does, from such a high and unquestionable source.” 

“Thank you, sir. May I ask your name?” inquired the 
elated Counselor. 

“I sincerely trust that you will pardon my thoughtless- 
ness, my dear Mr. Thickscull”, smirked the book-agent. 


82 


THE SHYSTER 


presenting a card which bore the name of Porthos 
C. B. Harrison, M. A., C. E., Boston, Mass. 

Mr. Harrison was a flashily-dressed, well-groomed per- 
sonage of perhaps thirty years. His apparel consisted of a 
silk hat, frock coat, light grey trousers, white waistcoat, 
patent-leather shoes with white spatts, and light, chamois- 
colored gloves. He also carried a gold-headed cane ; while 
a three-karat diamond, of the Baroda type, shone forth 
from his shirt front. The practiced eye of an intelligent 
man would have noticed a certain “raised-from-the-ranks” 
manner about him ; and that a superficial veneer of pre- 
tended knowledge pervaded his whole makeup. To Mr, 
Thickscull, however, he appeared the essence of learning 
and aristocracy. 

“Take a seat, Mr. Harrison. I can finish this work to- 
morrow, when my stenographer returns, “broke in the 
worthy Legal Light. (Mr. Thickscull never employed a 
stenographer, much preferring, as he claimed, to do his 
work personally.) “Try one of my cigars.” 

“Thank you, my dear Mr. Thickscull”. May I trouble 
you for a match? Now before proceeding, I believe it 
will prove of interest to you, to know the names of those 
gentlemen who have so laboriomly conducted this 
gigantic enterprise. Without doubt, being a professional 
man, you are personally acquainted with some of them. 
You will notice that Sir Charles B. Wheeler, Bart., M. P., 


THE SHYSTER 


83 


LL. D., M. E. of London is our President ; Robert Clark- 
Haynes, LL. D., Ph, D,, M. D. is our Chief Investigator 
and Critic; while H. Perry Cloud, MJ, D., Ph. D., Schl., 
is Editor and Scientific Advisor. Besides these, the Board 
is composed of some forty members of distinction and 
International renown.” 

Here, Mr. Thickscull interposed with a question as to 
what the letters “MJ. D.” stood for. 

“That is one of the highest of honorary degrees, my 
.dear Mr. Thickscull; and signifies Doctor of Medical 
Jurisprvdence. I do not believe that our colleges are 
qualified to bestow that degree. If I am not mistaken, he 
received it at Oxford. It is given for extraordinary ability 
in the solving of Hypothetical Questions. I have heard 
it said that District-Attorney Jerome is the only other 
man in America entitled to that distinction.” 

“Is that so?” queried the brother Procurator. “I have 
heard it said that he was very brainy, but I didn’t 
suppose ” 

“Yes, he is indeed a remarkable man ; but as I have said 
before,” interrupted the literary advance-agent, “these 
works treat upon every subject of interest to the pro- 
fessional-man, layman, mechanic, scientist, merchant — in 
fact to all! The set is composed of fifty-four volumes, 
full octavo, leather or satinette binding. These cost to 
publish, in the satinette — which wears and looks as well, 


84 


THE SHYSTER 


or better, than leather — over one-hundred dollars. But to 
those whom we select as introductory purchasers, we 
offer it for sixty-five dollars — to be paid in installments ; 
ten dollars down, then five dollars per month. We will 
also lithograph your name in a charter preface, free of 
charge! In your special case, I am authorized to estab- 
lish you as an Honorary Member of the International 
Collegiate and Professional Alumni, and to arrange to 
confer the degree of Bachelor of Arts upon you — upon the 
payment of the meager entry fee of twenty-five dollars.” 

“Will I receive a diploma stating as much?” enquired 
the thoroughly-pleased Advocate. 

“Most assuredly, my dear Mr. Thickscull. Our diplo- 
mas set forth the special merits for which they are 
bestowed. These diplomas are very handsomely gotten 
up in gold, red and green, and are printed in English ; so 
that all your clients may be able to read it — and compre- 
hend its distinguishment. I believe that attorneys should 
have some title to distinguish them from the mere laymen 
— such as Doctors, for instance. I am heartily in favor of 
such a move.” 

“I think so, too!” replied the Shyster. “I think ” 

“Now to proceed”, interrupted the agent, “volume one 
treats of the Law; expounding, at length, upon Legal and 
Elegal, Just and Unjust, Legislation, in part one. '*What 
Cases to Accept, and Not to Accept, in part two. How to 


THE SHYSTER 


85 


Evade the Law, in part three — this is of especial interest 
to professional men, as any poor lawyer can determine the 
actical Law ; while it requires a genms to impress a Court 
that he misinterprets the law. In part four, it treats as to 
the way to Impress Your Clients. Now, the man who can 
impress his clients as to his ability, need never worry 
about what the Court may think of him. This subject is 
considered at length. In fact, a friend of mine rose from 
a Justice of the Peace, to Supreme Court Justice, in less 
than five years, by following the advice as laid down in 
this work !” 

“Is the advice of a political nature?” questioned the 
hopeful Judicial Aspirant. 

“Partially; but it is thoroughly non-partisan in its 
latitude. Now to proceed, in part five, my dear Mr. 
Thickscull, you will find Contempt of Court defined in all 
States and stages; while in part six. How to Impress a 
Jury; The Kind of Jurors to Select; The Advantages and 
Disadvantages of Perjured Witnessess; The Way to Ap- 
proach a Juror when about to Attempt to Bribe Him — 
this certainly deserves more than passing notice, as there 
is a mine oi finesse regarding this most important subject. 
Part six also points out Good Excuses to Give both to 
Court and Clients, when about to Adjourn a Case ; and 
concludes with a treatise on What Cases to Settle Out of 
Court.^* 


86 


THE SHYSTER 


“What kind of cases, for instance, does it advise settling 
out of Court?” interrupted the Legal Dignitary. 

“My dear Mr. Thickscull, not being an Attorney, I am 
at a loss to appreciate those special points. The multi- 
plicity of technicalities in the Law, merely serve to 
confound a layman. Whereas you, being an Attorney, 
would immediately see the force of the advice. But to 
proceed, — part seven treats on the Laws of Domestic 
Relation ; pointing out The Best Places to Get a Divorce ; 
The Advantage of the Enforcement of the Words Ho 
obey’ in the Marriage Ceremony; The Head of the Family, 
considered at length, both theoretically and practically. 
Shows how suffrage is enjoyed by man while sufferage is 
endured by woman. Martial Rights defined, 

“As I have said before, my dear Mr. Thickscull, these 
Works are so profound and complete that it will be 
possible for me to mention only a few of the subjects 
treated upon ; and those, only in a superficial manner. I 
will accordingly be brief, and merely mention at hap- 
hazard from my list. 

“Part four, volume five, treats on the subject of 
Criminology. How to Spot a Detective ; Where to look 
for a Policeman ; and so forth. 

“Part eight, volume ten, regards Trusts. The histories 
of Oil, Sugar, Gas, Steel, Cotton, Beef, and other Trusts. 
The Good Work Done by the Black Hands, Socialists, 


THE SHYSTER 


87 


and Anarchists in the Suppression of this Vice; and so 
forth. 

“Part eight, volume three, page thirty-four, tells How 
to Beat the Races — so that you double your money every 
four days.” 

“Does the scheme always work?” asked the Legal 
Pleader. 

“There isn’t the slightest chance for a loss! — if the 
rules are strictly followed and adhered to. This scheme 
is based on the theory of mathematics, and is absolutely 
infallible ! 

“Now to return to our subject, part eight, volume 
four, page twenty, contains a formula which will prevent 
baldness, falling hair and dandruff. 

“Part six, volume thirty-four, treats of Advanced 
Economics. How to Detect Counterfeit Money; How and 
Where to Pass Worthless Currency; and so forth. 

“Part thirteen, volume twenty-three, treats of Fatal 
Drugs; and names a drug that will kill without leaving 
any traces whatever; thus insuring' one against being 
implicated or accused of murder— as an autopsy would 
fail to arouse any suspicion.” 

Upon hearing this information, Mr. Thickscull was 
deeply impressed, as he was the only heir to a very rich 
aunt. Neither by word nor manner, did he portray any 


88 


THE SHYSTER 


unusual interest, but he then and there decided, neverthe- 
less, to purchase the Works. 

“Part ten, volume eight, treats of Agriculture. How to 
Clear Five Hundred Dollars per Acre per Annum; How 
to Grow Stoneless Peaches; How to Cross Horses with 
Cows; How to raise Chickens that will Lay Three Eggs 
per Day, Throughout the Entire Year; and so forth.” 

“How is that done?” questioned the astonished Ad- ^ 
visor. “I never heard of hens laying more than one egg 
a day !” 

“By scientific breeding, and certain egg-producing, 
phosphatic feeding — which causes the hens to become 
philoprogenitive. 

“But to proceed. Part seven, volume thirty-four, is a 
Treatise on Religion. Compares Wycliff’s and Chauncer’s 
Bibles with that of King James, showing their various 
contradictions, and the absolute fallacy of the exhortation. 
Love Thine Enemy. Vividly Describes Heaven and Hell; 
and so forth. 

“Part three, volume forty-one, treats on Vital Statistics 
and Domestic Morale. The Number of {claimed) Le- 
gitimate Births, and the Number of {unclaimed) Illegiti- 
mate Births. Describes a French scientist’s invention for 
absolute proof, by way of blood examinations, as to the 
parents of questioned children, — this is of especial 
interest to attorneys ! Shows how much worse the moral 


THE SHYSTER 


89 


condition of today is compared with the past, and points 
out the Advantages of the Chaperone System^ as 
Practiced in Persia.'* 

“What kind of a system do they 'use in Persia?” 

“They allow their females no private interviews with 
males after the age of twelve until they are duly married. 

“But as I was saying, part five, volume thirteen, treats 
of Phrenological Deduction. How to Spot a Crook; 
Types of various Criminal, Clerical and Professional 
Heads; and so forth. This is of great importance to all 
lawyers, being especially recommended to the Bench and 
Bar by Judge Rollins of St. Louis. This is a very 
interes'ting subject indeed. I well remember a certain 
prolonged argument I had with Secretary Cortelyou on 
the subject. I was professor of Anthropology at the 
National University at the time, and, being a personal 
friend of the President, I frequently met Cortelyou while 
dining with him. On one occasion, Cortelyou had the 
audacity to imply that I erred in my conviction that the 
body governs the mind. He claimed that the mind gov- 
erns the body. After a lengthy argument, I conclusively 
convinced him of the fallacy of his assertion.” 

“Why, I always thought that, too!” exclaimed the 
Champion of the Bar. “Won’t you explain your theory?” 

“There is no theorum about it! — it is a post-positive 
fact! Pro instantum; the propensities and sentiments 


90 


THE SHYSTER 


cannot be called into action by the will. We cannot fear, 
or love, or pity, or be angry, by willing it. But internal 
causes may stimulate the cacteris pariJbus organs; and 
then, whether we wiU it or not, their emotions will be 
felt — as in the case of hunger, thirst, amativeness, 
alimentiveness, philoprogenitiveness, and so forth. Do 
you understand now?” 

“Y— es, I guess ” 

“But to return to our subject, my dear Mr. Thickscull, 
volume twenty-three is devoted exclusively to Modem 
and Ancient Languages; — such as Latin, Greek, French. 
Italian, Spanish, German, and so forth. Part one treats 
on Latin. By an hour’s study of this Work per day, 
within — say two months, you would have a very good 
working knowledge of that language. Without a knowl- 
edge of this most- highly important of languages, no man 
can become proficient in English. The same is true of 
Greek. But I presume it is useless to point out these 
facts to you. You are a University man, are you not?” 

“No, I merely served a clerkship”, announced the 
pettifogger. 

“Indeed! who would believe it?” exclaimed the literary 
genius in well-feigned surprise. “You have the inimitable 
air and polish, as well as the distangue of a college man. 
Your orthology is very good; your pronunciation equally 
so; your grammar is, believe me, faultless!” 


THE SHYSTER 


91 


“Yes, I’ve often been told so before. It’s due, I guess 
to an innate ability; or perhaps to my environments — 
which are of the best ! My father is a Christian Scientist 
Minister, and my mother used to teach School in Bacons- 
ville before she got married. Such associations are bound 
to ” 

“Yes, that’s very true,” broke in the agent. “Now part 
twenty contains all The Prefixes and Suffixes Used in 
Our Language. Not having had my opportunities in 
education, — I will point out the greatest advantage in 
knowing Latin and Greek. As you probably know, our 
words are derived from those languages. When I see 
a word I know its meaning at once, though I may never 
have seen the word before, by merely separating it into 
its various parts. For instance, take the word “virgin”. 
You know the present local meaning but you don’t 
imagine its actual latitude. You believe that it can be 
applied to but a very indefinitely /ew women, while I per- 
ceive that it applies to all. I realize that it is a compound 
of vir, meaning man, and of gin, meaning trap ; hence, it 
signifies a man-trap,” ,, 

“Is that so?” exclaimed the Legal Propounder. “I 
suppose that when they speak of a virgin forest, they 
mean a forest full of man-traps — don’t they?” 

“Exactly!” replied the equally bewildered Student of 
Languages. 


92 


THE SHYSTER 


“Now volume five, treats on Enurwiation and Pronun- 
ciation. Here again is a subject of extreme importance 
to professional speakers. Notice my enunciation. You 
- perceive the rotundity and volume of expression in pro- 
nunciation. To be sure, that’s partially natural; but still 
it required years of training to bring it up to its present 
standard. Most persons speak too flatly or harshly. But 
any voice may be greatly improved by proper cultivation. 
In fact, Shubert Brothers are continually besieging me 
with requests to portray Shakespearian parts — owing to 
the depth, volume, carrying powers and perfect controlli- 
tion of my voice. A certain Canadian University offered 
to confer the degree of LL. D. upon me if I would accept 
the chair as lecturer. 

“May I ask you why you don’t accept one of the posi- 
tions?” ventured the Advocate of Justice. 

“Well, the position of Actor lacks dignity, while the 
salary attached to the position of lecturer was not attrac- 
tive. It was the paltry sum oi five thousand dollars that 
they offered !” 

“For how long?” inquired the Counsellor. 

“Per year,” answered the “Field Manager.” “But to 
proceed, part seven regards French and Spanish Without 
a Teacher. By closely following this subject, you can 
master both languages within six months. Owing to the 


THE SHYSTER 


93 


similarity of the two subjects, both languages can be 
studied at once.” 

“How long would I have to study per day?” asked the 
Legal Advisor. 

“About an hour of strict application would be more 
than sufficient,” replied the agent. 

“Apart from the intelligence gained, the pleasure one 
drives from knowing French and Spanish is incompar- 
able. To be able to discourse in those languages 
proclaims one distinguished in first-class company, and 
serves as an open door to Society. Then again, to be 
able to read French and Spanish stories — that cannot be 
printed here without expurgation — is well worth ten 
years of one’s life. Being a professional man, you can add 
to your income by acting as an interpreter.” 

“Yes, I guess that’s so,” rejoined the would-be future 
Linguist, “Interpreters are very scarce andr ” 

“Yes, they are. But to proceed,” interrupted the agent, 
“aside from the mercenary features and advantages, it is 
of paramount importance that the , Twentieth-Century 
Lawyer possess at least a working-knowledge of each and 
every subject which may perchance arise. The day of the 
mediocre Attorney is past; and, to be successful, a 
Lawyer must far outshine the mere layman. Now, by 
the use of these works, one is enabled, at a moment’s 
notice, to gain whatever information he may desire. A 


94 


THE SHYSTER 


careful perusal of the more scientific branches will dis 
close a knowledge of those matters which years of study, 
under the old style of tutelage, would fail to establish 
So, my dear Mr. Thickscull, you can readily perceive the 
incomparable value these works will prove to be to you. 
While their intrinsic value might be determined, yet 
words and figures will never be able to express their 
worth when placed in the hands of one possessing the 
mental qualities sufficient to utilize the opportunities 
which these works enable one to grasp. May I trouble 
you to honor me with your candid opinion regarding 
them, my dear Mr. Thickscull?” 

“I certainly consider them very fine, but I’m afraid I 
can’t buy them just yet. The truth is, that I’m pretty 
hard pressed, owing to the inability of my clients, just 
now, to pay my fees, and as I ” 

“Pardon me, my dear Mr. Thickscull, but that re- 
minds me of a matter which I forgot to mention! Part 
five, volume seven, explains how to collect any claims 
or accounts, at any time, without causing the slightest 
hostility whatever, also ” 

Here they were interrupted by the entrance of one 
of Mr. Thickscull’s friends. After he had departed, Mr. 
Thickscull remarked: “Mr. Harrison, that young man 
is one of our most promising and intellectual citizens. 
He is a Physician, Surgeon and Civil-Engineer.” 


THE SHYSTER 


95 


“Is that so? He looks very young for so learned a 
man! What Universities did he attend?” 

He spent a year at Harvard, but he received his 
degrees of M. D., S. D. and C. E. from the International 
Correspondence School, I believe. At present he ” 

“Yes, he looks pretty smart,” interrupted the agent 
“You must pardon my hurry, Mr. Thickscull, but as I 
have an appointment to meet Attorney -General Jackson 
at Albany tomorrow morning, I shall have to take the 
six o’clock train. ‘Bill’ is always so anxious to see 
me that I don’t wish to possibly disappoint him. 

“Now — if, as you say, my dear Mr. Thickscull, you feel 
that you can’t afford to spare the actual cash at 
present, I will make a special offer to you. I feel that 
you are just the man we want as an introductory pur- 
chaser, and I hardly care to allow a few dollars to stand 
in the way! Now I’ll tell you what I’ll do. If you will 
give me your note for the full amount, payable in sixty 
days, and a mortgage on — say your parlor furniture — 
as security; together with your sworn affidavit that said 
parlor furniture has a commercial value of at least 
twice that for which the note calls; — I will accept that 
in lieu of the cash. I hope you appreciate the generosity 
of this offer, Mr. Thickscull?” 

“I do, Mr. Harrison; and guess I’ll accept your offer; 


96 


THE SHYSTER 


— if you agree to renew the note if I find it inconvenient 
to settle it when it comes due?” 

“Well? — I will accept your proposition! Now if you 
will execute those papers, I will acknovvledge your order? 
We will make the delivery within about ten days. If 
they are not as represented, namely: satinette binding, 
full octavo, fifty-four volumes, and so forth, — as this 
receipt calls for — ^you may return them at your leisure; 
and we will immediately refund your money — I should 
say, yournote. But this privilege is unnecessar}’-, as I 
know that you will be extremely pleased with the works, 
to say the least! 

“Regarding the membership in the International 
Collegiate and Professional Allumni—ol course that’s 
purely honorary; as well as the Baccalaureate degree 
which we confer upon our members, when deserving. 
Being an attorney, I deem that sufficiently convincing 
evidence. You cannot afford to overlook that oppor- 
tunity for a paltry twenty— five dollars, can you?” 

“N — o, I guess not,” answered the future Bachelor of 
Arts. 

After some delay, Mr. Thickscull prepare! and 
executed his note for ninety dollars; a chattel mortgage 
on his parlor furniture; and an affivadit of valuation 
thereof. The Literateur requested that they be wit- 
nessed by a Notary; which was accordingly done. 


THE SHYSTER 


97 


“Mr. Thickscull, I am very much pleased to have had 
the honor and distinction of meeting you,” continued the 
agent, “and I trust that, on your next visit to the *Hub,* 
— you will honor me by calling. You can find me at the 
Parker House, where I have my apartments. They shall 
ever be at your disposal ! Good-day sir. 

“Good-bye. I thank you for your kind offer of 
hospitality !” 

It was now five o’clock, and, as it was already growing 
dark, Mr. Thickscull prepared to adjourn for the night. 
“I hated to mortgage Nan’s piano,” he inwardly mused, 
“but that was too fine a proposition to allow to escape.” 
With a sigh — of half regret, half pleasure — he closed his 
desk, and departed. 

The next two weeks, he spent in eager anticipation — 
awaiting the arrival of the Twentieth Century Encyclo- 
pedic and Historic Review with the same degree of ex- 
pectancy that a child awaits a promised toy. He told his 
friends of the wonderful offer made him on account of 
his importance and prominence in the community. They 
slyly winked, and chuckled. 

At length, the eventfull moment came. The books 
arrived. He was so completely overcome with excite- 
ment, intermingled with joy, that he kept the expressman 
waiting for some five minutes before he collected his 
senses sufficiently to sign the express receipt. 


98 


THE SHYSTER 


“Charges of a doUar-and-a-half collect," announced 
that dignitary. 

“Why they were to be sent prepaid ! Haven’t you 
made a mistake?” queried the purse-empty Counselor. 

“No, it’s billed collect by the publishers,” replied the 
conveyor-of-freight. 

“Well, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to ask you to call again 
for the money! I left my purse in my other c-othes, 
at home, by mistake, and I’ve been so busy that I 
haven’t had time to return for it yet.” 

The expressman started towards the box. 

“Oh! you can leave that here! Never mind bothering 
to take it with you !” he proclaimed, in majestic tones of 
semi-command. 

“It’s no trouble ! — anyhow I can’t leave it without get- 
ting the money,” returned the experienced expressman. 

“Wait a minute! I’ll see if Frank’s in,” exclaimed the 
nettled Purveyor-of-Law, grabbing his hat and hastily 
departing. 

“I ain’t got much time,” the expressman called after 
him. 

“I’ll be right back!” 

In ten minutes, he returned with the dollar-and-a halt, 
but — minus his watch. A nearby saloonkeeper carefully 
guarded that most sacred trinket ! 

The expressman having departed with the speed of a 


THE SHYSTER 


99 


Western-Union boy entering an office, he exultantly be- 
gan to unpack his treasure. Upon a more deliberate ex- 
amination of the box, he was somewhat startled at the 
puny size thereof. He considered that the publishers 
must be, possessed of very modern and twentieth-century- 
like methods, to be able to pack fifty-four, colosal vol- 
umes in a two-by-two foot box. 

“But then those ‘Works’ will probably explain the mat- 
ter in full !” he inwardly mused. 

Have you ever been surrounded by all that is charming 
and tranquil? with the sweetest of music soothing your 
ear? with all happiness and beauty about you? and found 
yourself just about to accomplish something which you 
were very desirous of doing? Have you, I say, ever been 
in that position? — merely to have all your fond dreams 
shattered by the sound of ah alarm clock, jarring your 
nerves by its discordant intonations, and calling your de- 
luded attention to the fact that another day of monotony 
and toil has dawned? 

If so, you may perhaps be vaguely able to appreciate 
the attorney’s chagrin, when, upon lifting the lid, he per- 
ceived what gorgeous binding “satinette” really was In- 
advertantly, his mind wandered toward something com- 
parative, only to settle on the likeness of a rusty, tin roof. 

He then noticed that eac^ classification contained three 


100 


THE SHYSTER 


volumes, the “gilt edges” of which shone forth in gaudy 
yellow. 

Opening the book which contained the first three vol- 
umes, he found that the ‘‘Treatise on Law” was honored 
by a blurred and blotted print, upon a cheap and liimsy 
paper. 

He then turned to the front of the book and found that 
the “dedication page” was merely pasted into the book — 
upon which he read the following: 

In Appreciation, We Respectfully Dedicate these Vol- 
umes to Nillus B. Thickscull, B. A., whose Financial Aid 
will ever be Gratefully Remembered by the Compilers of 
these Works. 

To say that Mr. Thickscull was disgusted and dis- 
heartened with his bargain, would be but to expriss his 
feelings in the positive degree; whereas, the superlative, 
plus profanity galore, would fail utterly! 

“Yet,” he mused, vainly trying to condole himseif, “if 
the information they contain is as valuable as Mr. Harri- 
son represented, I shall feel that I have my money’s 
worth at that I Now for that drug formula! — which will 
make me a rich man when the old woman rests beneath 
the sod !” 

Turning to the index, he found, after lengthy research, 
reference made to part thirteen, volume twenty-three. 

At that page he read the following : 


THE SHYSTER 


101 


“It is a well-authenticated fact, that the Hindoos have 
discovered a poison which gradually, and with but little 
pain, causes almost immediate death — without leaving 
any traces of the administration of same. A narcotic 
incrustation, or sedimentation, forms on the bottom and 
sides of certain long-standing liquor-barrels. This pre- 
cipitate is gathered by the natives, and treated by chem- 
icals which cause it to become tasteless and colorless. It 
is then pulverized, and packed in air-tight receptacles. 
The average fatal dose is five grains. As the base of this 
drug is kept a profound secret by the natives ; and as it 
has never been introduced into the civilized world, we are 
unable to give its formula. No antidote is known.” 

At the conclusion of this highly instructive bit of in- 
formation — for which he had staked his wife’s piano and 
his watch — he was in a sufficient rage to have killed (by 
a more easily traced method than that just described) the 
worthy Representative of the Intenmtional Collegiate 
and Professional Alumni; but, unfortunately, that gentle- 
man was miles away, interviewing a prospective purchas- 
er, in Missouri. 

The noon mail brought a gaudy certificate, which ap- 
peared very much as does a circus bill-poster, proclaim- 


ing: 


102 


THE SHYSTER 


“BROTHER NIEEUS B. THICKSCUEE of the IN- 
TERNATIONAE COEEEGIATE and PROFESSION- 
AE AEUMNI, a BACHEEOR OF ARTS, by the 
GRACE OF GOD.” 

He was planning to return the “Works,” and to refuse 
to meet his note, when he was informed, by the cashier of 
his bank, that they held that piece of paper, and would 
look for a prompt settlement at its maturity. Nothing 
had been said about an extension ! 

Nillus B. Thickscull returned to his domicile — that ev- 
ening — a sadder, but a wiser, man. 


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He languidly arose, and for several moments paced the 
floor. 

The loneliness of despair settled upon him. What did 
Easter mean to him? Where had he to go ? Nowhere ! 
Inadvertently his mind wandered to the Easter of the 
year before. The same joyous bells had sounded ; the 
same bright sunshine had enveloped the earth. 

But oh, how differently he had felt on that glorious 
morn, three-hundred and sixty-five^ days before! It 
seemed to him as though that many years had elapsed ! 
The thought of his extreme happiness and joy, the 
brightness of the world, and of her own sweet, thrilling 
presence, recurred with vivid accuracy. 

He recalled how he had met her that morning; the 
pride he had taken in escorting her to church, and his 
vanity at the attention she attracted. He recalled how. 


106 


CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


during the prayer, he had slipped his hand within hers, 
and remembered the whimsical little pout of pretended 
annoyance which she had bestowed upon him as she 
fondly pressed his fingers in return. 

In fancy, he again traveled the route of the long drive 
which they had taken that joyous ^^aster afternoon, when 
he had told her the old, old, ever new, story. In fancy, 
he saw her as she had sat there beside him, her golden 
hair gently blown by the breeze, and her wondrous, 
violet eyes turned full upon him — that he might read his 
answer therein. 

These, and many other reminiscences of the days of 
their love, passed through his mind with graphic per- 
sistency. Like memory’s phantoms, there passed in re- 
view, the pleasant evenings he had spent at her home ; 
the little excursions they had taken together; and the 
evenings enjoyed at the theatres. As he reviewed these 
incidents, he realized that he had never been so happy in 
his life ; nor could he ever be again — without her. 

How well, and with what realistic force, he recalled the 
happenings of that bleak December evening, when, in 
passing the office of a mutual friend — ^and an old flame 
of Marjorie’s — he was startled to see her leaving his 
office. And then there had come to him the remembrance 
of certain moments when she had acted strange and dis- 


ORCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


107 


tant. He understood those moods then — or thought he 
did. 

She had met him at the door that night, with the same 
degree of warmth and cordiality, and without the slight- 
est indication of nervousness. This only tended to 
strengthen his belief that her duplicity was greater than 
he had feared, and that she was so frequently in the habit 
of visiting Charles, that she was even capable of conceal- 
ing the evidences of her guilt by a brazen exterior. He 
waited some two hours for her to mention her visit of 
the afternoon, and her reasons for having gone there. 
Then, as she failed to do so, he finally confronted her 
with the question : 

“What were you doing at the office of Charles Hames 
this afternoon?” 

She had grown quite pale, but replied, after consider- 
able hesitation, that she had been to see Mr. Hames on a 
very important matter. 

“Only trust me, Robert,” she had'said, “and you will 
never regret it. Believe me only a little while, and you 
will know all !” 

He had been drinking; and was unreasoning and brutal. 
He could see it now. She had pleaded for but a trifle of 
leniency on his part. He had then accused her of trying 
to gain time to concoct a pleasing yarn. 

“I suppose you want to go to his office again tomor- 


108 


CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


row, and get him to frame an excuse for you!” he had 
sneered; and stalked out of the room. “To think that 
you cannot believe me; cannot trust me just this little!” 
she had moaned, following him into the hall. 

He had deigned no reply, but had silently struggled 
into his coat, and had angrily left the house. 

This Easter morn, as he vainly tried to imagine himself 
at peace with the world, and as his thoughts insisted on 
carrying him back to that bitter night — he felt as though 
he could never forget the look of hopeless appeal in her 
eyes, when he had demanded the return of their engage- 
ment ring; nor the heartrending agony of her voice, as 
she answered : 

“To think that you can’t believe me, Robert! Why it 
breaks my heart ! Some day — you will realize your 
mistake.” 

Yet, as he saw himself today, as she had seen him then, 
he realized that he had been a cad — a heartless, brutal 
cad ! 

“What right had I,” he inwardly mused, “to be harsh 
with her? I might as least have acted the part of a gentle- 
man, instead of that of a hot-headed, narrow-minded 
inebriate !” 

“A loud rap upon his door, interrupted his unhappy 
meditations. “Come in !” he yelled, in harmony with the 
harshness of the summons. 


CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


109 


“Sunday-morning paper; all about the shooting!” 
shrieked a dirty newsboy, thrusting in his tousled head. 

“Then, with a sinking heart, while an agonizing lump 
settled in his throat he read in large headlines : 

“Well-known Broker Shoots His Niece; Then Turns 
Revolver on Himself. He Lies Dead. Girl is Slowly 
Dying.''* 

The ensuing detailed account of the affair followed : 

“A horrible double-shooting took place this morning, at 
the home of one of Boston’s best-known brokers — 
William H. Hatterfield — when he deliberately shot his 
beautiful and cultured niece. Miss Marjorie Hatterfield 
and then turned the weapon on himself. He died almost 
instantly, while she lies at the Charles Street Hospital 
in a very critical condition, and is momentarily expected 
to breathe her last. Mr. Hatterfield is supposed to have 
become insane through financial difficulties, which have 
greatly upset him of late. 

“From what has been learned through Miss Hatter- 
field’s attorney, Mr. Charles Hames, an important clue as 
to what led up to the shooting, was disclosed. Some 
months ago, Mr. Hatterfield — who was Miss Hatterfield’s 
uncle, and with whom she resided — illegally appropriated 
certain funds which belonged to her, but which he, as 
executor, had in his control for investment purposes. 

“It is alleged that some time during the early part of 


110 


ORCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


December last. Miss Hatterfield first became aware of 
her uncle’s misdoings through her attorney, who hap- 
pened upon certain incriminating evidence against Mr. 
Hatterfield, while transacting some business for her. 

“What greatly attests to the benevolence of Miss Hat- 
terfield’s conduct, is that she absolutely refused to 
prosecute, but insisted on standing by her uncle, whom 
she asserted, she had every reason to believe had thor- 
oughly intended to do the right thing, but had simply 
been unfortunate. 

“It is claimed, by those who are in a position to know, 
that she solemnly vowed her uncle to refrain from inform- 
ing anyone as to his illegal actions. 

“The supposition is, therefore, that ” 

But Robert could read no further, and threw the paper 
from him in despair, then grabbed his hat, and frantically 
rushed for the door. 

Hastily jumping into his automobile, he placed the 
lever at the last notch, and sped through the streets at a 
pace that set all gaping. The intensity of his desire to 
reach the hospital was so great that he failed to notice 
that he was being trailed by a motor-cycle policeman; 
while the latter, seeing him stop at the hospital, evidently 
concluded that he was a physician answering a “hurry-up 
call,” and consequently did not molest him. 

Great was his consternation at the length of time he 





I 









ORCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


111 


was obliged to wait before being ushered into Marjorie’s 
presence, but greater still was the joy within his heart, 
for the doctor in charge had said ; 

“The newspapers have greatly exaggerated the serious- 
ness of her condition. She will surely recover!” 

A death-like stillness of gloom and depression — broken 
only by the occasional clink of the inevitable medicine- 
glasses — prevaded the little room within which Marjorie 
lay. 

A whispered “Hush !” accompanied by a silencing 
gesture from the nurse, proclaimed that she now slept. 
Silently entering, he took a seat near the bed-side, and 
contented himself in awaiting the time when she would 
awaken. The nurse — evidently made aware, by the 
feverish anxiety which his countenance so fully portrayed, 
that he was either her brother or lover, and that they 
would probably rather be alone when she awoke — quietly 
left the room. 

She had no sooner departed, than Robert, influenced by 
some irresistible impulse, moved closer to the bed, then 
fell upon his knees, and gently pressed a kiss upon Mar- 
jorie’s lips. 

She awoke. A startled sigh escaped her. For an 
instant her gaze rested upon him ; then a faint cry — half 
of surprise, half of joy — broke from her lips. 

“Darling! my love!” was his half-smothered cry as he 


112 


ORCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE 


fondly nestled closely to her. Then, before she had time 
to make an utterance, he continued : 

“Sweetheart, can you ever forgive me for having 
doubted you ? Oh ! dearest, if you only knew how un- 
happy I’ve been without you ! Then — then I know that 
you’d forgive me ! Marjorie, if you ever loved me — if 
you ever care to make me happy — won’t you forgive me?’’ 

Even in her weakened condition, her arms stole tightly 
around his neck ; and, as though in answer to his entreaty, 
she implanted a prolonged kiss upon his lips. 

Folding her gently in his arms, he murmured: 

“Now, dearest, you are going to get well, and make 
me happy again, aren’t you ?” 

Her reply was inaudible, but the look that shone from 
her eyes fully expressed the answer her lips failed to 
convey. 

Just then the bells of a near-by cathedral pealed out in 
melodious accord, and in joyous tones he exclaimed : 

“How glad I am that this is Easter, for I have found 
the lily that will always bloom for me!** 


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